


Lost and Found

by HalcyonEve



Category: Harvest Moon, Harvest Moon: A New Beginning, Harvest Moon: Sunshine Islands
Genre: F/M, Family, Long Lost/Secret Relatives, Lost Love, Love Triangles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-14
Updated: 2015-07-01
Packaged: 2018-03-12 21:28:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 72,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3355889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HalcyonEve/pseuds/HalcyonEve
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes what has been lost can be found, and sometimes what has been gained can be lost. Set in HM:ANB but with a few characters and locations from HM:SI as well as a very few minor OCs. Updates on Wednesdays. Rated M for later lemons, though most of it is rated T. Please R&R, thanks!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Lost

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Harvest Moon: A New Beginning, and the locations and characters in this story belong to Natsume Inc. and MarvelousAQL Inc. The story's plot is my own invention.
> 
> Disclaimer: Harvest Moon DS: Sunshine Islands, and the locations and characters in this story belong to Natsume Inc. and Marvelous Interactive Inc. The story's plot and some characters & locations are my own invention.

The dusty road to Echo Village was narrow along this stretch, and heavily lined with bushes and brambles. Most of the time it didn't matter—it was wide enough for the caravan, and they rarely met anyone on the path. But this hot summer morning, as they led the carts and animals towards the village, Neil heard the thunder of hoofbeats galloping up the road behind them, then slowing as the rider reined in his horse, unable to pass. He didn't bother to glance back—they were already going as fast as they could, so there was nothing else to be done until the road widened again. Luckily for the horseman, it wouldn't be much farther.

Finally the tangled growth of brambles and bushes gave way to grass, and he heard the rider urge his horse on to pass them by. Rod called a friendly greeting as horse and rider trotted by, swishing through the tall grass. However, instead of passing Neil, he slowed again, keeping his horse to a walk as he drew up alongside him. Glancing up in annoyance, he first noticed the horse—a rangy black Appaloosa, large black spots splashed over the blanket of snowy white on his hindquarters. The rider was dressed in black, with a brown leather vest and boots and a black cowboy hat. His silver hair was unkempt and his face unshaven, and he mirrored Neil's expression with an amethyst glare of his own.

"Whaddya want?" Neil snapped.

"You an animal dealer?" the cowboy asked.

_Shit, is this guy for real?_ Neil thought to himself. "No, I'm a fucking ballerina."

Ignoring his sarcastic reply, the cowboy nodded his head. "Thought as much. That's my line of work, too."

"Well, la-di-dah. Do you actually want something, or did you just wake up this morning and decide that today you were going to annoy the shit out of a total stranger, and I drew the short straw?"

"I'm looking for someone. A rancher, probably, or farmer. Got any of those around here?"

Neil snorted in disbelief. "What do you think, I sell cattle to rich housewives? Yeah, there's a bunch of them around here, but only one in town."

"Yeah? What's his name?"

"Hers," Neil corrected automatically, then cursed to himself when he saw the small, triumphant smile curling the corners of the man's mouth.

"A woman, huh? Where can I find her?"

Neil paused. He didn't like the idea of sending this guy on to Rio's farm when she was all alone there. Yeah, she had her dogs, but they were _herd_ dogs—not _guard_ dogs. And he didn't know what this fellow wanted with her.

Finally he said, "Give me a few minutes to get into town and get my animals settled, then I can take you there."

The cowboy narrowed his eyes at Neil. "I don't need an escort," he said flatly.

"Maybe not, but you're getting one, whether you like it or not," Neil snapped.

The cowboy hesitated, then shrugged. "Fine. Is there an inn in town?"

"Yeah, just keep on this road straight through town. It's on the far side, just to the north. You'll see it on the bluff, overlooking this road."

"And where will I find _you_?"

"In the plaza, just a little east of the inn. Just follow the sounds of animals."

"Then I'll get a room and meet you there in… how long will it take you to get ready?"

"I'll be finished setting up by 10:00," Neil replied, glancing back to be sure his animals were keeping up as he spoke.

The cowboy urged his horse ahead, calling back, "See ya then."

* * *

Neil glanced at his pocket watch impatiently. He'd moved faster than usual, and had finished setting up with ten minutes to spare before that man was supposed to meet him. He scowled in irritation. Maybe he should have just given him directions. Rio was a big girl, and she could take care of herself. Then he remembered the subtly triumphant look on that man's face, and thought maybe an escort wasn't such a bad idea, after all.

Two minutes before the hour, he heard hoofbeats approaching down the road. Turning, he saw the cowboy riding up the path to the plaza, the horse's iron shoes clattering on the cobblestone. He nodded to Neil and dismounted, then stood waiting impatiently while Neil set out his "Come back later" sign and asked Rod to keep an eye on things for a while. He'd apparently made arrangements for a room, since he'd cleaned himself up—his hair was still damp, his face was clean-shaven, and the trail grime had been washed from his face and dusted from his clothing.

"Won't it be faster if we ride?" he asked Neil as they started back down the same road, him leading his horse by its reins.

Neil shrugged. "Maybe. But I like to let my horse rest and graze after that long haul. Besides, it's not all that far. Why, you in some kind of a hurry or something?"

"What? No! I…. Well, okay, I guess maybe I am, a little. It's not urgent, though. I just want to… to take care of my business as quickly as I can."

Neil glanced sharply at the cowboy, but he was staring ahead, lost in his own private thoughts as they walked through town. Soon they reached the head of the long gravel drive down to Rio's farm, but Neil hesitated before turning down it. "Listen," he began, glaring at the stranger, "I don't know what you want with her, but I'll tell you this—she's well-regarded and beloved by the entire village. So if you mean her any harm…." His voice trailed off, leaving the threat unspoken but unmistakable.

The cowboy looked at him with amused disdain. "Cool it, son. I don't plan to hurt anyone—so far." Then he turned down the drive, and Neil stood and glared after him for a moment before hurrying to catch up to him.

As they approached the barns, Neil heard Rio's voice shouting from somewhere within. "Iroha? Is that you? It sounds like you _finally_ gave in and got that horse I said you should get! I told you that you'd—" Her voice halted midsentence as she rounded the corner and came into full view, stopping dead in her tracks as she caught sight of her visitors, her bright blue eyes opening wide in shock.

"Rio?" the stranger said, his voice slightly strangled with emotion. He took a half-step towards her, then dropped the reins and ran to her, lifting her up in his arms and swinging her around as he embraced her in a bear hug. "Rio! I've been looking everywhere for you! I… I thought I'd never see you again," he cried, burying his face in her neck as Neil stared, openmouthed in astonishment and consternation.

"V-Vaughn?" Rio gasped as soon as he loosened his grip on her enough for her to catch a breath. "W-what… what are _you_ doing _here_? How did you…?"

Neil found his voice then, and strode up, his face flushed with anger. "Rio, who _is_ this guy? And _you_ —get your hands off her!"

Vaughn turned to look at Neil, setting Rio down but keeping his arms firmly around her as he stared coldly at the younger man. "And who the hell are _you_ to tell me to keep my hands off my girlfriend?"

"Your _what_?!" Neil shouted, clenching his jaw as he looked from Vaughn to Rio and back again.

"Your _what_?" Rio exclaimed, frowning as she pulled away from him, struggling to free herself from his grasp.

"Rio, please… don't be like that," Vaughn said, pleading her with his eyes as he let her go.

She sighed, rubbing her forehead as if feeling a headache coming on. "Yeah. Okay. I think we need to talk. Both of you, follow me." And she turned and walked towards the house.

Inside, she said, "Just have a seat at the table there. Neil, you know where everything is—can you get something for you guys to drink? I still need to finish my morning's work—I haven't yet put out feed or checked on my hens—I'd just finished milking my cows when you showed up." Turning to Vaughn as she headed for the door, she said, "I'll put your horse out to graze. What's his name? And is he gelded?"

"Oh, uh sure. His name's Flash. Short for Flash Back. And yeah, he's a gelding."

"Good. I'll put him out to graze with my mare then, and leave his tack in the barn. I'll be back soon. Try…." Looking back and forth between the two surly men, she gave up with a sigh. "Oh, never mind. Just don't break anything while I'm gone, all right?" Then she ran out the door, leaving the two men staring face-to-face.


	2. Questions

Rio hurried through her chores as quickly as she could, not wanting to leave Neil and Vaughn alone in her house any longer than necessary. She hurriedly pulled off Flash's saddle and bridle and stowed them in the barn, gave him a quick brushing and wipe-down, then turned him out with her cows and her grey mare, Sahara, to graze. Then she returned to the barn, grabbed an armload of hay, and tossed it into the manger before moving on to her spacious coop. The hens were already outside, scratching around, so she tossed some more corn into their feeder and gathered the eggs from the nesting boxes.

When she walked through her front door, she found Neil in the kitchen, leaning back against her refrigerator and glaring at Vaughn, who stood leaning against the far side of the kitchen counter. She noticed neither of them had any refreshments, and she had a definite sense of walking into the middle of a stare-down. Ignoring them, she walked into the kitchen, nudging Neil out of the way so she could unload the day's milk & eggs, along with the herbs, peaches, and mangos she'd kept from the morning's harvest—the first fruits of summer. In silence, she turned around to look at the two men, who had ceased glaring at each other and instead watched her every move.

Sighing, she opened the refrigerator door again. "Iced tea?" she offered, pulling a tall glass pitcher out.

"Sure, thanks," Neil replied, his gaze still fixed on her.

"Yeah, okay," Vaughn likewise accepted, glancing with a scowl at Neil before turning to watch Rio again.

She began to feel ill at ease from the sheer intensity of their stares. Looking at the clock as she poured glasses of tea, she saw it was midday already. So she made some sandwiches, too, and sliced up some of the fresh fruit, then carried it all to the table.

Waving the two men to opposite seats at the table, she sat down and took a long drink of the cold tea. Then she looked at the men and said, "Well. I'm going to assume from the stony silence when I walked through the door that you haven't introduced yourselves yet. So… Neil, this is Vaughn. We used to… ah, well, 'date,' I guess you could call it."

"Is that _all_ you'd call it? Just… dating?" Vaughn interrupted with a scowl. "I thought it was more than that—I thought _I_ meant more than that."

"Hold your horses, cowboy. First things first. Vaughn, this is my boyfriend, Neil."

The two men stared at each other, the glares intensifying along with the charged atmosphere. Before either of them could erupt, though, she continued.

"So why are you _here_ , Vaughn?"

He scowled at her, angry, annoyed, frustrated—but also baffled why she'd ask such an obvious question. "To find you, of course. You just… disappeared. I left on the early boat that Wednesday, same as usual, and when I arrived the following Monday… you were gone. No one knew where, or why. Just that you'd sold your farm and everything to Mark and left. The only message you left was that scribbled note you gave to Mirabelle. And that was cryptic enough—but I think I figured it out, eventually." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a battered leather wallet. He opened it and slipped a well-worn scrap of paper out. He set the paper on the table and unfolded it. "You wrote, 'Her name is Rio, she don't need to understand,' then below that, you wrote, 'I'll take my chance, 'cause luck is on my side.'" Looking at her as he put the paper away, he said, "I finally figured out that those were quotes—song lyrics, actually. From a few decades ago. And at the end of the song, the singer says he might be able to find the girl if he looks hard enough. So… that's what I set out to do. Look for you until I found you. I want to know why—why you left me like that. I want you to look me in the eyes and explain it to me."

Neil leaned back in his chair, looking from one to the other of them. He admitted to himself that he wanted to hear what she had to say, too—though he was sure there was more to it than this Vaughn guy implied.

Rio sat and just… _looked_ at Vaughn for some time. Finally, she said, "You really don't have _any_ idea _at all_? Isn't there something— _anything_ —weighing heavy on your conscience? Something that maybe might have driven me away?"

"I don't have any idea what you're talking about," he said, flushing slightly under her steady gaze.

"Mmm-hmmm. Well, I'll tell you. That last Wednesday when you left, I ran after you, trying to catch you before the boat left. I got there just as it pulled away from the dock, leaving a few day-trippers behind. As I stood watching it sail off for the mainland, I suddenly caught part of a conversation among a small group of young women standing on the beach nearby. One of them was asking who that silver haired guy with the cowboy hat that her friend had waved to was, and the friend replied that he was someone she'd met a couple of weeks ago at a bar. Then she giggled and started to detail a… rather intimate encounter with him. I felt sick, listening to them, but I walked over and faked a smile. I said that the person they were talking about sounded familiar, and asked what his name was. Imagine my feelings when she gave _your_ name! I somehow managed to smile again, said that yes, that was the same guy, and left.

"That was the last straw for me, Vaughn. I couldn't take it anymore. So I went to Mark and asked if he'd like to take over the farm. I didn't sell it to him, by the way. I let him have the use of it, on the condition that he also take over restoring Sunny Island. I said that after he completed that task, I'd sign over the deed to him. But until then, it's still mine in name.

"Anyway, he was thrilled, though he was surprised and sad that I was leaving, especially on such short notice. But I had to—I had to get out of there, get away…. I went to Taro and made the necessary arrangements, then I packed a few things in my backpack and went around to say goodbye to everyone.

"Mirabelle was distraught, I think partly on your account. I didn't tell her anything about why I was leaving, just that I needed to leave right away. She asked if I wanted to at least leave you a message, but when I gave it to her, she looked confused and asked me to write it down for her, so you'd be sure to get the right message.

"Then I boarded the night boat and left the Sunshine Islands for good."

Vaughn stared at her, ignoring Neil's infuriated glare. "I… I… You mean, you just left, because you thought some trampy blonde might have slept with me? You didn't even wait to ask me about it—you just… vanished!"

Rio sipped her tea slowly, looking at him with narrowed eyes over the top of her glass. "There's more to it than that. And as for 'thinking' you 'might have' cheated on me… I didn't tell you she was a blonde. I think you've pretty much just confirmed it."

Vaughn turned red as his slip-up sunk in. Then he looked at her, with less hostility, and said, "All right, fine. It's true that I slept with her. I'm sorry for upsetting you like that—I never imagined you'd find out. But first, I wasn't _really_ 'cheating' on you, you know. And second, it's… well, it's partly your fault, anyway."

Rio slammed her glass down, her face white with anger. "In what way was that _not_ cheating on me? And are you seriously sitting here telling me that it's _my_ fault you cheated on me?"

" _Partly_ your fault," he corrected her, then seeing the livid expression on her face, he hurried on. "You see, we weren't really in any kind of _formal_ relationship. Yeah, I thought of you as my girlfriend, but since we'd never come right out and _said_ anything about being exclusive…."

"You _prick_!" Rio yelled, "Not any kind of formal relationship? You practically _lived_ with me!"

"Only two days a week, though…." Vaughn's voice faded as he saw the look in her eyes.

"I provided you with food, a warm bed, and… and all the sex you wanted, whenever you wanted it! And you tell me that we weren't in a relationship? That you _really_ thought it was perfectly fine to have it off with other girls? And just how is that supposed to be _my_ fault, anyway?"

"It's just that I… I missed you so damn much when I was away. I couldn't stand it. I tried to resist, because I didn't want to hurt you. But you never left the islands, and it just got to be too much—the need for you was more than I could take. It was getting so that by Monday, I was ready to grab you and throw you down wherever I happened to find you, because I couldn't wait another moment. I didn't like feeling that way, didn't want to take out my frustration on you because I _cared_ about you. So…."

"So you somehow thought that having sex with random women would be _better_ than having sex with me?" Rio asked, incredulously.

"I know, when you put it like that… but I guess it just got to be too hard to resist other women when I was away from you all week. Sorry, Rio. I honestly didn't think you'd ever find out, and that it would just be a harmless secret. I should have known when I saw that girl…."

"Well, I'm _glad_ I ran into her. I was at the end of my rope, and that gave me the push I needed to finally just cut my losses and _go_."

"I still don't understand… if it wasn't just because of that girl, then….?"

"It's like I told you, Vaughn. You came to me every Monday morning, and left again every Wednesday morning—very early, and without even saying goodbye. You got free room and board and plenty of sex. _You_ might have been happy with that arrangement, but _I_ sure as hell wasn't. I wanted _more_ from you—I wanted you to stay, to be with me and not go running off, to be a part of my life. I didn't want to be your part-time lover, I wanted some commitment from you. And you didn't have any interest in that. As long as things were good for _you_ , you didn't want to change anything. And then…."

Vaughn had just sat there, wide-eyed and slack-jawed in astonishment as he listened to Rio's tirade. When she hesitated, he shook his head a little, as if to clear it, then prompted her. "Yeah? And then?"

Lifting her head a little higher, she stared into his eyes. "And then I found out I was pregnant."


	3. Answers

"You _what_?" Neil shouted, jumping to his feet, shocked by Rio's announcement.

"Wh-wh- _what_ did you say?" Vaughn stammered, his face draining to white. He scrambled up and back from the table, getting tangled up in his chair and falling to the floor in the process. Sitting in a jumbled heap, he stared up at her, stunned and speechless.

"The morning you left," she resumed, looking calmly down at Vaughn, "I took a test. I was late, you see, but I wasn't _sure_ —so I hadn't said anything to you. I didn't want to upset you with a false alarm. When the test came up positive, I took off and ran for the boat, trying to get there in time to catch you… but I just missed you.

Neil sat back down again, watching Rio with a peculiar expression. He wasn't sure how he felt about this new revelation—and he wondered why she hadn't said anything to him. He didn't have much experience with women and relationships, but wasn't having a kid the sort of thing you'd mention to your boyfriend? Still, he'd give her a chance to finish telling her story. He wanted to be fair, to not rush to the wrong conclusion. He _was_ sure that she was a good person, so she must have had her reasons.

Meanwhile, Vaughn extricated himself from the chair, righted it, and once again sat down. He was shaking slightly as he reached for his iced tea, and from the look on his face, he was almost certainly wishing he had something a lot more potent in his glass right then.

Rio picked up a half of her sandwich from her plate. She didn't take a bite, though, just picked a little at it, tearing off little bits of lettuce that stuck out, poking tomato slices back in, breaking off a tiny crumb of cheese. She set it back down on the plate and just sat silently, her hands on her lap, staring blankly at the table.

After a few minutes, Vaughn coughed slightly, then asked, "Well, then, what happened after that? You, uh, you found out you were pregnant, discovered I'd been messing around, fixed to hand your property over to Mark, said your goodbyes to everyone else, packed up, and left. What then? Where did you go? What… what happened to the, uh… to our baby?"

She didn't answer right away, just speared a chunk of peach with her fork and popped it into her mouth, slowly chewing as she stared at nothing with a far-away look in her eyes. Then she snapped back to the present.

"I had some money saved, you know. Before I left, I bought a bunch of feed to leave for Mark, since I knew he wouldn't be able to afford much for a while—not until the crops were ready to harvest, anyway—and I wanted to be sure he'd be able to care for the animals in the meantime. But even then, I had enough to live on for a while. So when I got off the boat there on the mainland, I just went to the inn across the street from the dock. I decided to stay there until the baby was born, then decide what to do next."

Vaughn gaped at her. "You mean… all that time, you were right there within sight of the boat?"

Rio gave him a wry look. "Yep. I saw you several times, coming and going, you know. So I _know_ you didn't set off looking for me right away. And if you'd just looked up, instead of staring at the ground like you usually do, you might even have caught a glimpse of me at my window."

"I didn't look for you right away because I didn't know _where_ to look!" he exclaimed, defensively. "It took me a while to figure out your note. I guessed it was a quote, but I didn't recognize it. Not my kind of music, I guess. But wherever I went, I'd show it to people, asking if they knew where it came from. Finally, almost a year after you'd left, I ran into someone on the mainland who recognized it. She was even able to tell me the rest of the lyrics. But there was no real hint where you might have gone, even then. So that's when I decided I had to just knuckle down and start looking, hoping I'd catch up to you one day."

"I see. Yes, it was one of my mother's favorite songs when she was young—that's where she got my name. So it's kind of nostalgic for me on that account. Anyway, it happened that shortly before the baby was born, I saw an ad in one of those little community newsletter-type things that another guest had left behind in the breakfast room, looking for someone to take over an old farm in the mountains. I decided that sounded like a good place to go, but I was worried about trying to manage the work of starting all over from scratch on a farm with a new baby.

"Then in mid-winter, the baby was born—a little girl, perfectly healthy, weighing a little over seven pounds. But while I was waiting to be admitted, still in the early stages of labor, I overheard a couple talking nearby. She'd just miscarried, apparently not for the first time, and they were just beside themselves. They were discussing all the trouble they'd had trying to have a baby, and how they wished that more babies were available to be adopted locally. They just wanted a child so _badly_.

"That started me thinking. I couldn't be sure of giving my baby a good home—I didn't even _have_ a home right then, or even the prospect of a home. All I had to offer was love… but someone else might be able to offer love _and_ a good, stable home. So I talked to the nurse and asked about giving the baby up for adoption. She brought in a social worker, and we talked for a long while. Then I signed some papers, and three days after she was born, I... let her go. It hadn't taken any time at all to find an adoptive family—and by some weird coincidence, it was that same couple who'd lost their baby shortly before mine was born. I was able to meet them, and they write to me once a year to let me know how she's growing. They're good people, and she's doing well—she's… _happy_. She's two and a half years old now. Hold on, I have a picture somewhere."

Rio stood and walked over to the sideboard next to the front door. Opening a drawer, she dug through a collection of papers, envelopes, photographs, and assorted bits and bobs. She pulled out an envelope, and after glancing through its contents, she returned to the table and sat back down. "Here, you can take a look," she said, removing a few photographs and setting them before Vaughn. He sat for a moment, hesitating, then lifted the top photograph to look at it.

"That was right after she was born," Rio explained. "She had so much thick, black baby hair, and the nurses just couldn't tame it for anything." She smiled faintly, watching her former lover as he stared at the picture. Then, wordlessly, he set it down and picked up the next photo.

Rio picked up the first picture and offered it to Neil, a little hesitantly, uncertain how he was handling the day's revelations. But he picked up the proffered snapshot and stared at it, almost as intently as Vaughn had.

Turning back to Vaughn, she said, "That's her on her first birthday. I guess all that hair she was born with eventually fell out and was replaced with her normal hair."

"She looks a lot like you," Vaughn commented as he drank in every detail of the photo, depicting a lively, dark-haired toddler, grinning toothily for the camera with a huge pink-frosted cupcake on a plate before her, a smiling woman holding her chubby little hand away from the single candle stuck in the top.

Rio nodded as he passed the picture back to her, then she passed it on to Neil as she said, "She has my hair and complexion, but she inherited _your_ eyes. I think you can see better in that next picture."

Vaughn picked it up, and she said, "That's from her second birthday, just last winter. Her parents send me a photograph of her taken on her birthday when they write."

As she had said, he could see her eyes more clearly here, and he stared at the dainty little girl with Rio's sunny smile, dark brown hair, and bronzed skin. But instead of her cornflower blue eyes, the eyes that stared up at him from the photograph were his own amethystine orbs. Rattled, he handed the picture back to Rio.

Rio put the photographs away once they had finished looking at them, then returned to her seat. She sipped her tea, looking first at Vaughn, then at Neil. The room was silent, uncomfortably so. Finally, Vaughn looked up at her, bleary-eyed. "What, uh… what's her name?"

"They named her Violet, because of her purple eyes."

"Violet…." he repeated in a soft voice, looking down at his hands as they gripped his glass. Then he looked back at her, saying, "I… I really don't know what to say, Rio."

She stood up quickly, then, and took her dishes to the kitchen, her lunch still virtually untouched. "There's not a lot _to_ say, Vaughn. You blew it, I left, and I started over here—new home, new job, new friends, and a new love. A whole new life," she replied, a note of bitterness in her voice, as she leaned against the sink and looked at him.

Vaughn shook his head, then he stood and walked over to her. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he said, "I'm not ready to give up on you. I've spent more than two years searching for you. After you left, I realized… you mean more to me than _anything_. I was an idiot for not seeing it before, for not giving our relationship—for not giving _you_ —the respect and consideration you deserved."

Sighing and rubbing her head again, she said in a tired voice, "Vaughn… you know, two years is a long time to spend looking for me just to ask me why I left, when it should be obvious that I didn't _want_ you to find me. I'd have written to you if I did. So why are you here, _really_?"

Without any warning, Vaughn scooped her off her feet, cradling her snugly against his chest as she stared, stunned, up at him. As Neil exploded in anger behind him, he leaned down to her and said, in a low, hoarse voice, "I came for more than just an answer to a question, Rio. I came for _you_ —to bring you back home, where you belong."


	4. Jealousy

Neil paced angrily behind his stall, glaring so fiercely that only the hardiest of souls dared approach him that day, and both his business and Rod's suffered as a result. Finally, fed up with his agitation, especially since it was beginning to affect their animals, too, Rod exclaimed "Hey, just cool it, will ya, Neil? So your girlfriend's ex showed up and wants her back. Doesn't mean she wants to go, does it? I mean, she _seems_ pretty happy with you. So why get so worked up about it?"

"Fuck off," Neil snapped, pausing in his circuit to glare at him.

"Yeah, okay, whatever. But you're upsetting the animals, so just knock it off, okay? You might not care about people, but I _know_ you care about animals."

Rod was right, of course, and Neil did at least _try_. But even if he could force himself to stand still, he couldn't ease the tension that stiffened his spine and tautened his muscles. He found himself thinking back to when he first laid eyes on Rio, a week or so after she arrived in Echo Village. He had thought at the time that she was too damned beautiful to possibly be any good at the hard work required on a farm, let alone one that was so run down and in such dire need of renovation—just like the rest of the town. But to his complete surprise, she was competent and determined, and before he realized what was happening, she'd not only fixed up both her farm _and_ the town, but she'd won his heart, too.

He flushed a little, remembering their first kiss. They'd taken a picnic lunch up to the lake near the mountain peak, and he'd finally come out and admitted his feelings for her. He'd never been so surprised as when he discovered that she reciprocated. And then she'd kissed him—a kiss like honey, sticky-sweet and delicious.

Snorting with agitation, he looked at his pocket watch again—only two minutes had passed since he'd last checked. He glanced in the direction of her farm, clear across the village and down the hill, by the river. He couldn't see it, of course, not from where he was. But he couldn't stop thinking about her—and about this Vaughn guy that had appeared out of _nowhere_ , saying they'd been lovers and that he wanted her back. Lovers! That's more than he…. And they'd even had a kid together!

He shook his head, still feeling that it was all so… _unreal_. He hadn't understood at first why she had never said anything to him, but after Vaughn left, she explained it to him, how it had been so painful to her, she hadn't wanted to talk about it with anyone—not even him—and also that she was afraid that, in such a small town, she'd have been judged for it. _He_ wouldn't have held it against her… at least, he didn't _think_ he would. But he could understand her fears, especially when she was new in town.

"Neil? Hey, _Neil_! Wake _up_!" Rod was shouting from his stall. Neil started and looked around. A bewildered tourist was standing at his counter, trying to get his attention.

"Huh? Oh. Yeah, sorry. Neil's Animals. Whaddya want?" he muttered, gruffly.

Flustered, the young woman stammered, "Oh, I-I… I wondered if you had any baby chicks for sale?"

"Yeah, I guess. But aren't you a tourist? Why do you want a _chicken_?" he asked her, suspiciously.

"I-I… well, they're just so _cute_! All fluffy and yellow and sweet. So I thought it would be an adorable present for my little sister—you know, kind of a souvenir."

Neil scowled. "Listen, lady, chickens are _not_ toys. They have hearts and minds, same as any animal—which is a lot more than I can say for some _people_. You want a toy, go find a toy store. I'm not selling you a chick just to have you dump it by the side of the road somewhere when it gets too big or noisy or ugly for your _taste_."

Startled, the girl stepped back, tears welling in her eyes. Then she turned and fled, Neil glaring after her broodingly.

With a sigh, Rod looked up at the sky. From the sun, he'd guess there was around another two hours until closing time, maybe more. He looked over at Neil again, and called out, "Hey, let's just pack it in early. You're only scaring people off, anyway—from my business as well as yours."

Neil slammed his hand down on the counter, but only said, "Whatever." Then he started packing his cart to leave, and Rod followed suit. Soon the two men were leading their caravan back along the hot, dusty trail out of the village.

* * *

"You came here for _wha_ —" Rio began to exclaim, outraged, struggling against Vaughn's firm hold on her, her legs kicking empty air as she pushed against his chest. But he'd cut her words short with a passionately intense kiss, breathing hard as he crushed greedy lips to hers, caressing her mouth hungrily with his tongue.

Then she bit him.

He dropped her, clapping his hands to his mouth and doubling over in pain as a muffled stream of expletives poured out. Neil reached them just in time to catch her—not elegantly, but well enough to keep her from landing in a heap on the floor. She glared at Vaughn, and Neil was quivering with barely-suppressed rage.

"'at da _hay_?" Vaughn exclaimed, prodding his tongue with his fingertips and scowling first at the red smudge of blood on them, then at Rio.

"That's _my_ line," she snapped, crossing her arms over her chest as she continued glaring.

"Yeah, well, _I'm_ not gonna mince words," Neil growled. "What the _fuck_ do you think you're doing to _my_ _girlfriend_?" Pushing past Rio as he spoke, he grabbed Vaughn by his shirt.

Vaughn glared disdainfully down at the younger man and grabbed his wrist, prying his hand from his shirt. "Hands off, kid," he drawled, looking at him through narrowed eyes. "Come back in five years or so, when you've grown up some."

Neil hauled off to deck him—but Rio stepped between the two men. "Knock it off, _both_ of you! Absolutely _no_ fighting in my house! If you can't be civil for _ten goddessdam minutes_ , then get out!" The two backed down—at least, a _little_ bit—and she glared from one to the other of them, her hands on her hips as she frowned in aggravation. "Look, I have _work_ to do, and Neil, you do, too. Vaughn, if you have anything more you want to say to me, it's going to have to wait. You might as well go get yourself a room at the inn. It's getting to be a little late for you to start back today anyway, so you'd better plan to stay overnight. Or longer, most likely—the Critter Festival is in just a couple days, and I'm going to be too busy getting ready for that and participating in it to have much time to spare."

"Longer than just tonight, huh? Sorry, Rio. No can do. Wish I could," Vaughn said, flatly.

"Can't? Or _won't_?" Rio said, sharply. "I'm not going to force you to stay, Vaughn, far from it. But I just won't have time to spare for you for several days. Summer is just too damn busy."

"Can't," he replied levelly. "I quit my job when I left to find you, and since then I've only worked a few odd jobs here and there, whenever my money started to run out. And it's run out again. I already paid for a room at the inn for tonight, but that used up the last of my funds. I'll have to find some work tomorrow, or else I'll be sleeping under the stars and living on wild berries."

Rio sighed and rolled her eyes. "Oh, for Goddess's sake, Vaughn. _Fine_. You can work for me. I've been overworked lately, anyway, with just too much to do and not enough time to do it. I'll hire you to take care of my animals, since I know you're good at that, and we'll take it from there. I know you're handy at one or two things besides animals, at least when you _want_ to be. I'll pay for your room tonight, then I'll pay you enough to cover your room and board with a little left over. Okay?"

He moved in a little closer, put his hands around her waist, and said in a low voice, "Or I _could_ just stay here with _you_. You wouldn't even need to pay me for helping around the farm, then."

Neil lunged for him again, but Rio stopped him and pushed Vaughn back. " _Forget_ it. I've already told you, it's over between us. Just be grateful that I'm taking pity on you." Then she walked over to the door and opened it, looking back at the men in her kitchen. "Get a move on, Vaughn. Tell Hossan I'll be along later to settle up with him, and he'll refund your money. The food at the inn's good, or there's Clement's restaurant down the road. That might be a bit trendy for your taste, though."

With a sigh, Vaughn picked up his hat from the sideboard where he'd set it. "All right, we'll just leave it at that—for now. When do you want me to start?"

"Come back first thing in the morning—the earlier, the better. If I'm not in the house, I'll be in the fields or one of the barns. Just keep looking 'til you find me. Oh, and you might have noticed there's no stable at the inn. You can keep Flash here—there's room in my barn, and plenty of good grass in the pasture."

"Sure." He pulled the hat on, tugging it low over his brow as he sauntered out the door. He paused on the doorstep, then looked back. "Hey. Thanks. And I'm, uh… I'm sorry. For… everything." Then he turned and sauntered off, vanishing from sight as he moseyed up the long, shady drive back to the village.

"What the _hell_ , Rio? What are you _thinking_ , giving that guy a job working for you, here on the farm? Why didn't you just send him packing?" Neil fumed, scowling as he turned to stare at her once Vaughn was out of sight.

She looked at him, her expression calm, though her brilliant blue eyes had turned stormy. "Last I checked, Neil," she said, coolly, "my hard-earned money was _mine_ to do with as I please. I can't just turn my back on him, you know. Even if he _hadn't_ been an important part of my life once upon a time, I'd _still_ help him now. I can't just turn my back on someone in need. What I did was no more than I'd do for anyone else in the same position, and you know that. I could have just given him some money, of course, but he's too proud to take it—and I really _could_ use the help. You, of all people, should know how busy I've been lately."

"Yeah, well, that may be true, but I still don't like the idea of him hanging around you all the time. Especially when you'll be all alone with him here, and…." Neil blushed and looked at the floor.

Rio grinned and sidled up to him, reaching up to put her arms around his neck. "Just admit it, why don't you? You're jealous!"

Turning beet-red, Neil scowled. "N-no way! I am _not_ jealous!"

"Mmm-hmmm," she said, tracing along his jaw line with a slender fingertip, stopping to lightly caress his lips before she stood up on her toes to kiss him.

As he felt himself melting at her touch, he thought—just to himself, of course—that maybe he _was_ just a _little_ bit jealous. Just a little.


	5. Wishes

Eager to get to work—or rather, eager to see Rio again—Vaughn showed up at a little after 5:00 the next morning. He knocked lightly, then again more firmly when there was no response. He heard a thud and a crash and muffled swearing, followed by footsteps approaching as she called out, “Who _is_ it? What’s going on? Is someone _dying_?”

Then the door opened, and there she stood, knotting the tie of a clingy silk robe. She looked just like he remembered her: tall, tan, slim waist between full breasts and hips, those long, lean legs, thick brown-black hair with streaks of gold where the sun had kissed it… and the bluest eyes he’d ever seen, glaring at him. “Oh, it’s _you_. So no one’s dying— _yet_.” She opened the door a little wider as she stifled a yawn. “Look, Vaughn… I know I said _early_ , but don’t get carried away.”

Her last phrase, “carried away,” echoed in his head as he walked through the doorway, and he thought to himself, as he glanced over at her disheveled bed, getting carried away was _exactly_ what he’d like to do with her. Pulling himself together, he felt relieved that at least she seemed to have slept alone—there was no sign of that Neil kid.

Oblivious to his thoughts, Rio stumbled into the kitchen and switched on the coffeemaker. She turned to the refrigerator and opened the door. “Well, since you’re here, have you eaten yet?”

“No. No one was around when I left.” He stared at her, unable to keep his eyes from her. _Goddess_ , he’d missed her, and in so many ways—but right at that moment, one outweighed all the others, and it was a struggle for him to focus on anything but the tantalizing glimpses of her bronzed skin that taunted him as it peeked out from beneath her robe. She’d always slept in the nude when they’d been together—and it looked as though that hadn’t changed.

She pulled out eggs, mushrooms, cheese, milk, and a pitcher of juice and set about making a mushroom omelet. After pouring the egg mixture into the pan, she grabbed a loaf of sliced bread and started some toast, then poured two mugs of strong, black coffee. In a very short time, they were sitting down to breakfast.

“Thanks,” Vaughn muttered. “Smells good. I miss your porridge, though. No one makes it as good as you do.”

“I haven’t made that since I left the Islands,” she replied over her coffee mug. “I can’t stand the stuff.”

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Yeah? I never knew that. You always seemed to eat it fine.”

“I only made it when you were there, and I only got it down by not thinking about it. That’s why I was usually so talkative at breakfast—I was distracting myself from what I was eating.”

“Huh. Why bother to eat it then?” he asked, confused.

“Because _you_ loved it. And because, bland as it is, at least it’s nutritious and filling. It didn’t _kill_ me to eat it, I just don’t _like_ it,” she replied with a little shrug, then she turned her attention back to her food, ending the conversation.

After breakfast, he eyed her uncertainly. “I could, uh, I could clean up,” he suggested, a little hopefully, wanting to linger in her company as long as he could. _Especially_ with her wearing only that robe.

“Vaughn… I need to get dressed,” she said, looking exasperated.

_Damn_ , he thought to himself. “Then, uh….”

“Why don’t you go check on your horse? I’ll only be a few minutes,” she said, pushing him towards the door.

“Yeah. Sure,” he grumbled as he stomped off towards the barn.

By the time she joined him in the barn, he’d finished currycombing his horse and had started on hers. She strolled over and watched him for a moment, leaning against the side of the stall. She’d brought two mugs of coffee with her, and she balanced one on top of the stall near him before taking a sip from the other. “Thanks. You’re doing great, as always. I can see she’s taken a liking to you already—you have gentle hands.”

He just grunted in reply, focused on his task. After a moment, he glanced over at her. He swallowed hard when at first all he saw was leg, leg, and more leg. Since the day was already hot even though it was still early, she’d put on short shorts with her scuffed up cowboy boots, and he swore she wore nothing under her snug tank top. “So, uh, what’s her name?” he asked, quickly looking away again.

“I just call her Sahara—short for Sahara Snow.”

“Arabian, isn’t she? Purebred?” he asked as he gave a final swipe to her coat.

“Three-quarters. If you’re done, then I’ll show you what I want you to do.”

He nodded and put the grooming tools away, grabbed his mug of coffee, then stood expectantly, waiting for instructions as he gulped the hot drink.

She turned and gestured him to follow. “I have two barns and a chicken coop, plus fish tanks and pets. My pets will herd my livestock and chickens, so you don’t need to worry about moving them outside or back in at night. What I need you to do is to groom my animals, clip them when needed, milk the cows and my yak each morning, gather eggs, make sure the mangers and feeders are kept full, and keep tabs on their health and well-being in general. This is my cow barn; as you can see, I have three Holsteins, two Jerseys, and the yak, as well as my horse—and yours, now. Sometimes Neil keeps his horse here over the weekend, too.”

Next she pointed towards a sort of shelf with a couple of books on it not far from the door. “There’s a book over there where I keep my records for each animal; if you notice anything wrong or otherwise noteworthy with one them, please make note of it there. If they get sick, you can get medicine from Neil. Keep in mind he’s only open for business Monday through Thursday, and he’s also closed on rainy days or for festivals. So if his stall’s not open, I do keep some medicine in the house for emergencies. If you use one, be sure you get a replacement from Neil the next time he’s open for business, and let me know so I can pay him for it later.”

She led him back to a pen at the back of the barn, where one of her Jersey cows was resting. “Rosie here is pregnant, so you only need to be sure she has food and water. Neil checks in on her almost daily and will see to her when her time comes, so you don’t have to worry about any of that. The hay is kept over there,” she said, pointing to a large rack in the far corner. “You’ll need to keep an eye on the amount of hay, and refill it when it starts to run low.”

She led him out of the barn and into a smaller, adjacent structure. “This is the coop,” she said, turning briefly to him. “I have both Leghorns and Silkies, as you can see. The nesting boxes are over there, and that’s where the feed is kept,” she said, pointing them out as she spoke.

Next she took him to the pet house. Both her dogs jumped up, tails wagging, when she opened the door, but the grey cat merely opened one eye halfway before snuggling back down and flipping the tip of his tail over his nose. “The dogs herd the livestock. The black and white one is Bandit—he’s my shepherd. And the brown and white dog is my cattle dog, Kep. The cat’s name is Ash. Rod trained him to herd my chickens, just like the dogs herd my livestock.”

Vaughn raised an eyebrow. “He trained a _cat_? To do _that_? He must be something else with animals.”

Rio laughed, a musical laugh that set his heart pounding. “Yeah, he’s pretty amazing. Only with cats, dogs, and horses, though—he doesn’t know that much about other animals. Neil, on the other hand, loves _all_ animals, and he has a real knack with them—even the wild animals in the forest.”

Vaughn scowled as she praised Neil, but Rio was kneeling down to scratch Bandit’s ears and didn’t notice. “Well,” she said a moment later as she stood up again, “that’s it for this section of the farm.”

“Didn’t you say something about sheep?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, I’ll take you over there now. They’re kept on a different part of the farm. The alpacas in particular tend to be nervous around strangers, so I keep them in a more secluded area, where they’re less likely to be disturbed.” She headed out the door and turned west, following a path that led them through a gap in the rocky ridge along the edge of her farm.

As they walked along the path, she glanced at him for a moment. “So, uh… how were things going with Mark on the old ranch last you were there? Was he… was he doing well? How were the animals?”

Vaughn snorted. “You’re only just _now_ wondering how your animals did after you left them?”

“No,” Rio said, defensively, scowling as she stared straight ahead, “I’ve often wondered. But I admit it wasn’t the very first thing that popped into my head when you turned up unexpectedly yesterday. I’ve always felt sure that Mark would be fine. He was kinda green, but then… so was I, when I first arrived on those islands. I wasn’t even quite eighteen, if you remember, and I had no experience at all—just interest and drive.”

“Yeah, I admit, you surprised me. Surprised everyone, I think. You always were a hard worker, and looks like that hasn’t changed. Hossan was telling me last night all about the work you’ve put in, both on the town and with your farm. I gotta say, Rio, I’m impressed—even knowing you as well as I do.”

“Don’t be,” she said, harshly. “Work makes a great distraction, that’s all. If you keep yourself busy enough, you don’t have _time_ for thoughts or memories or regrets.”

He didn’t have a response for that, so they walked in silence for a minute. Then he cleared his throat and said, “Mark was doing great, last I was there. Of course, that was a couple years ago. But I don’t think he was likely to have any real problems—no more than any farmer does, anyway. He was taking good care of the animals and the farm. Not as good as you, but still—no complaints here, anyway. And believe me, I was looking for an excuse to complain. I think your animals missed you, though—‘specially Tanner. Poor ol’ pup, I’d see him lying by the bridge to the main island, just waiting and waiting… and sometimes at night, I could hear him howling. Saddest thing I ever heard. Last time I was there, though, he was finally warming up to Mark. He really worked hard to earn your animals’ affections. I think he could see they missed you, too.”

Rio didn’t say anything, just trudged ahead, deep in thought as they walked. Then they came out of the small gulch that divided that main farm from the west farm. Vaughn saw another fenced pasture and barn, and several smaller buildings built in the shade of the constantly-encroaching forest south of the pasture.

He followed her into the barn, where he saw several sheep, a couple of alpacas, and even a llama. As the animals crowded around them, she explained, “My farm is divided into three sections: the central or main farm, then the east and west farms. The east farm is where my crops, orchard, mushroom logs, and beehives are located. Here on the west farm, I have a pair of Dorset and four Suffolk sheep, two alpacas, and a llama. The alpacas are skittish, like I said. They’re only like that with strangers, though, so once they get used to you, they’ll calm down.”

They stepped back outside, and she walked over to one of the four identical outbuildings. “These are the sheds that house my fish tanks, where I raise different kinds of fish and crustaceans. You’ll need to feed them each day, check the water quality, and keep track of them as they multiply. Right now, I have tanks with salmon, octopus, tiger prawns, and clams. Each species has slightly different requirements, but I keep the information posted near each tank for reference, so you shouldn’t have any difficulties. I keep the fish food in the house, so you’ll have to pick that up each morning on your way over here. I’ll show you where to find it.”

She stepped out of the last of the four small sheds and leaned against the pasture fence, swallowing the lukewarm dregs of her coffee as she idly watched her shepherd herding her sheep and alpacas and llama out to pasture, barking and running around to move them in the direction he wanted them to go. He was well-trained, Vaughn thought as he, too, watched. Then he glanced over at Rio and swallowed hard at the sight.

The sun was just rising over the tops of the tall evergreens east of the farm, and the clear, pale light of the early summer morning bathed Rio in a dazzling radiance. Her skin—always tan even in winter—had deepened to a rich bronze, and the sunlight brought out the summertime highlights of gold in her dark hair. Her eyes were a clear, bright violet-blue, just the color of the cornflowers that he remembered from his mother’s garden many years ago. ‘Bachelor’s Buttons’—that was what she’d called them.

Her profile was beautiful and familiar, and he felt a gnawing ache inside as he longed to gather her up in his arms, to hold her again—to somehow reclaim all that he’d lost. And before he realized what was happening, he found himself doing just that—enfolding her in his arms, breathing deeply of her scent—familiar, yet different, he thought, and decided it was the perfume of honey and wildflowers that permeated her hair and skin that was new. He leaned down to her and kissed her—gently, this time, reining in the need and desire that had overwhelmed him yesterday and pulsed through his veins still. He kissed her neck—skin soft and silky, just as he remembered—up to her jaw and over to her mouth, cutting off her startled exclamation. She had the most incredibly kissable mouth he’d ever known, he thought, as he sighed deeply.

Then Rio, who’d been caught completely off her guard, pulled herself together and shoved him away. “What the hell do you think you’re _doing_?” she fumed, glaring up at him. “I _told_ you, it’s over between us. I’m happy _here_. I’m not going back—not now, not _ever_.”

“I could settle here with you,” he mumbled, his eyes pleading her as he reached out a hand to caress down her hair to her back. She unconsciously leaned into his hand slightly, and he smiled a little to himself—he still remembered exactly how she had liked to be touched, and apparently that hadn’t changed.

She shook herself slightly, as if waking, then glared at him again. “No, Vaughn. I’m giving you work as much because you need the job as because I need the help. But you’re no more than an employee to me now. And that isn’t going to change. I’m seeing someone else, and I’m happy,” she declared emphatically.

“Funny,” he said in a low voice, “you don’t _sound_ happy. Are you sure I couldn’t make you happier? You’ve taught me my lesson, Rio. Don’t I get a chance to show you what I’ve learned?”

She batted his hand away, irritably. “No, you don’t. Go find someone else to impress.”

“I don’t want to impress anyone but you. I love you, Rio. I have since the first day I set eyes on you. I just didn’t realize how much until you were gone.”

“Well, I _don’t_ love _you_ anymore. Now shut it, Vaughn—or I’m making nothing but carrots for lunch.”

He stiffened slightly, and his hand froze. “ _Carrots_? You _wouldn’t_.”

“ _Try me_ ,” she said, narrowing her eyes at him. “Carrot soup, carrot salad, carrot bread, carrot juice, carrot cake—”

“All right, all _right_. You win. For now,” he exclaimed, feeling nauseated at the thought of such a meal. He pulled his hand away. _Dang_ , she really knew how to fight dirty, he thought to himself as they turned and headed back towards the main farm.

On the way back towards the house, she resumed explaining her farm’s operations. “I have fields for hay as well as grazing, so anytime I’m getting low on hay, you can cut down some grass. Just make sure you do it either before the animals are let out in the morning, or after they’re put away for the night—they’re curious, as you know, and I don’t want them getting accidentally nicked. I’ll show you where the tools are kept—they’re in the same chest as the fish food and the medicine. If you run out of food for the fish, you can get that at the bait shop in the general store. That’s open only on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, though, except for festivals, so keep that in mind. As for other supplies, Rod sells pet food, and Neil sells chicken feed and treats for the animals. You can also buy hay from him, if you suddenly run out and neither of us has time to cut more. If you need to buy supplies anywhere, just tell them it’s for me, and let me know so I can settle up with them later. Got all that?” she asked as they reached the house.

Vaughn thought for a moment, then nodded. Though she had more animals here than she’d had on the island, it really didn’t seem like that many for such a large farm. Still, it wasn’t surprising that she needed some help—and that might work out for the best in the end, anyway, since it might give him the chance to prove himself to her. At the very least, it was time spent near her.

As they reached the door of her house, he said, “So five cattle and six sheep? That’s not many for a farm this size, is it? You planning to expand some?”

She shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. I sell my products to specialty markets in the city who want to offer organic goods. I label my animal products with the name of the animals they come from—I guess the city folk eat it up, buying a bottle of milk or a wedge of cheese labeled “Rosie” or “Bonnie”. Gives them a sense of connection or something. And my fleeces I mostly to small craft shops, both unprocessed fleeces for handspinners and yarn for knitters and crocheters. And Clement and Hossan also buy fresh produce and fish from me for their kitchens.”

She showed him where to find the supplies he’d need and told him to put the milk and eggs in the refrigerator and any fleeces in the storage cupboard, and she’d take it from there. Then she grabbed a couple of water bottles and filled them, handing one to him as they stepped back outside. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to hurry up and get a move on. My crops are coming in thick and fast, and the critter festival’s just a couple days away. It lasts four days, so I have to get as far ahead with my farm work as I can before then. Help yourself to drinks if you get hot or thirsty. Lunch will be right about noon.” Then she ran off towards the eastern part of her farm, leaving Vaughn standing on the porch.

He watched her as she ran lightly across the fields, gracefully vaulting over fences to save time as she raced against the sun. He tugged his hat down low as she vanished among the trees of her orchard, then he slowly headed to the barn and got to work.


	6. Horses

Vaughn looked up at the sky and saw the sun was high overhead. Time for a break, he thought as he stretched his aching back. Goddess, he hadn’t worked this hard in ages. He was gonna feel it in the morning, he thought to himself, wincing. Still, he had to admit that it felt good to really use his muscles for a change, instead of just riding all over the countryside on his horse, looking for any trace of his lost love.

Lost love…. He’d imagined finding her a thousand times or more, played it over and over in his head, an internal movie set to the cadence of hoofbeats. And each time she’d been happy—no, not just happy… _ecstatic_ —to see him, moved to tears by his devotion. Sometimes they returned to the islands in his daydreams, and sometimes they stayed put wherever he found her. But most often, they’d pack up and move to a whole new place. Somewhere quiet, isolated… just the two of them. Somewhere sunny and warm, where she could really blossom. She thrived in the sun, just like those big yellow sunflowers she admired. In his dreams, she had whole fields of sunflowers, and she danced happily through them as the sun smiled down at her.

He sighed as he wiped the sweat from his brow. Things hadn’t turned out at all like he’d dreamed… but at least he’d finally found her. True, she seemed pretty keen on that kid, and sure, she was mad as hell about the other women…. Not that he could really blame her. He shook his head. What an ass he’d been, behaving that way. He was old enough, he should have known better. He _did_ know better—but he’d gone ahead and done it anyway, and then he’d made it worse by trying to deny it and shift some of the blame. And now he was reaping a mighty bitter harvest from those wild oats. Still, he appreciated the opportunity she’d given him, letting him work for her when she could have just sent him packing. And while she’d made it very clear that there was a boundary between them now that he was not to cross under any circumstances… he hoped that with time and association, she might soften that boundary—might even do away with it all together, if luck was on his side.

He trudged up the steps to the house, and paused for a moment. The front door was wide open, and an unfamiliar scent was wafting through it. He sniffed, frowning as he tried to place it, then sauntered on in, scraping his boots before stepping through the doorway. Tossing his hat onto the sideboard, he saw Rio at work in the kitchen, her face flushed from heat and dewy from steam, damp hair clinging to her face and neck where it had escaped her ponytail. She was stir-frying something, shaking the wok to toss the contents, then stirring vigorously as she added a sauce of some sort. A spicy-sweet fragrance filled the house, and she shook the pan a few more times before pulling it off the burner and quickly turning to pour the contents into a large bowl on the counter. She looked up as he came over, smiled distractedly, and turned back to her work, quickly removing a bowl and two large jugs from the fridge.

She grabbed a pair of plates and a couple of containers and lined them up. As she dished up rice, topped it with the stir-fry, and added sliced ripe mango to the plates and the smaller container, he asked, “What’s cookin’? Doesn’t look familiar. Smells spicy, though.”

“Chili prawns,” she replied, not looking up as she started to pour iced tea. She paused, the glass half-filled, and asked, “Tea, lemonade, or half and half?”

“Half and half, please. Thanks,” he replied “Can I help?”

“Sure. Take those plates to the table, please?”

As she finished pouring their beverages, he carried the plates out. She snapped lids on the containers, grabbed the glasses and some napkins and silverware, and joined Vaughn at the table. They sat down, and he took a small taste of the food. He didn’t care for fish, but he’d never tried prawns before. “Not bad,” he said before taking a larger bite. “When’d you learn to make it?”

“Just recently. It’s Neil’s absolute favorite. Hana had the recipe, and she had intended to give it to me after he and I started going out last summer, but she accidentally dropped her notebook of recipes into the river one day while she was out for a walk. Pages kept turning up here and there in the rivers and streams around here for weeks afterwards. Luckily she wrote them with India ink, so once the papers dried, she could still make them out well enough to copy them down into a new notebook, and she made copies of each them for me. It took her a while to write them all out again, so I only just received it a couple of weeks ago.”

“Huh. Well, it’s good. I don’t like fish, but these prawns are different. They’re not all soft and flaky like fish is.”

“Yeah, I remember. Just about the only fish you ever could stand was raw fish, either sashimi or sushi. And even then you weren’t a fan of it, just tolerated it.”

After a few minutes of eating in silence, Rio looked over at Vaughn. “So how’d the work go? Any problems? Questions?”

He wiped his mouth and leaned back in his chair, taking a long drink of his tea and lemonade before answering. “It was fine. It’s good to do some work again—I was starting to get out of shape. I wasn’t as fast as I’d like, but I’ll speed up after I get used to it. I expect I’ll be pretty sore in the morning, though.”

“Yeah, I’d think so, if you haven’t worked steadily in a while. Sorry about that.”

Vaughn shook his head. “Don’t be. I like the work, and I _am_ grateful you’re giving me the chance to do it, in spite of… well, in spite of everything.”

She shrugged as she took a bite of chilled mango, washing it down with a sip of her drink. “Yeah, well, it just worked out to our mutual benefit. You needed a job, and I needed help. Everyone’s been after me for more than a year now to get some help. When Neil and I started seeing each other, I think a lot of people expected that he’d be helping me on the farm—that we’d get married before long, or even just that he’d move in with me. And maybe all that might make sense, in a way, but….” She paused to eat more mango while Vaughn watched her, curiously.

“But?” he prompted her, after a minute.

Again she just shrugged. “Things don’t always work out the way you expect, do they? I mean, look at us. Not all that long ago, I fully expected that we’d soon get married, you’d move your business to my ranch, maybe we’d have a kid or two…. But you didn’t want to settle down, and I’ve moved on. Now I seem to be in a similar situation again. Though at least I don’t have to worry about being pregnant and alone this time,” she added in a faintly bitter tone. She stood up, grabbed her dishes and stalked out to the kitchen, suddenly annoyed.

“Rio? What’s wrong? Why don’t you… you mean you and he haven’t…?” Vaughn said, his brow furrowed in confusion.

“Never mind. I was just yammering. Forget I said anything.” She grabbed their water bottles to refill, and scowled when she saw Vaughn’s was still nearly full. Draining the tepid water off and refilling both with cold water from the tap, she scolded him. “You need to drink your water. You’re not used to the climate here—you’re used to much lower elevations. The air in the summer can be as dry as a desert. You’ll make yourself sick if you don’t drink enough.”

He grunted as he pushed back his chair and picked up his empty dishes, taking them to the kitchen. “I’m fine. I can look out for myself.”

Rio rolled her eyes as she prepared to wash the dishes, tossing him a towel. “Whatever. At least leave the hat and vest behind. You should go see Yuri about some new clothes, get yourself something more suitable for summer than those jeans and long-sleeved shirts you’re so fond of wearing. Here, I’ll wash, you dry.”

As she put away the last dried dish, she said, “If you’re done with your work, let’s saddle up the horses. I need to take Neil his lunch and make a few other stops, so I can show you around the town and introduce you to some of the villagers here. Then I’ll take you up the mountain and show you around a little. There’s trails, but some of them run pretty close to the edges of cliffs—they can be dangerous if you’re on horseback and your horse gets spooked.”

“Sure. Fine,” Vaughn replied with his characteristic lack of enthusiasm. He really wasn’t a ‘people person,’ so he hated being dragged around to meet a lot of strangers. But it was time spent with Rio, so he was willing to put up with it just for that alone.

She grabbed the containers of food and filled a large water bottle, then pulled some jugs and bags from the refrigerator. Then she carefully placed everything into her backpack, and headed for the door. “Don’t forget your water,” she reminded him as he started to follow her. He shrugged and grabbed the water bottle, then followed her out the door.

They saddled their horses and led them out. Vaughn started towards Rio to offer her a leg up, but she swung up into her saddle and was ready to go before he’d taken more than two steps. So he mounted his gelding and off they rode.

The village was too isolated for many to bother with motor vehicles. None of the residents owned one, and the only regular vehicles to be found were delivery trucks and the trucks that hauled goods away from Emma’s shipping business to the city for distribution. These generally stopped just within the boundary of the village, where Emma’s house and storage shed were located, so it was rare to encounter a vehicle on the town’s roads. They were all dirt roads—all right for walking or riding, but unpleasant to drive on, especially in the dry summer weather.

Rio’s first stop was at Emma’s, to leave the goods that she wanted to ship that day—some milk and eggs, and an assortment of vegetables and herbs from her fields. Watching her as she pulled these goods from her pack, Vaughn asked, “Can you really make a living selling so little?”

She laughed and said, “Surprisingly, yes. Some items are more valuable than others, of course—the yak’s milk, for example, fetches quite a high price. I guess it’s a fad right now, and my Layla produces a lot of really high quality milk. Plus I’ve worked hard to build up a good reputation, so that gives me a competitive edge in the market. Customers ask for my products by name in shops, so the shopkeepers specify my products from their suppliers. I could expand and sell a lot more, but I’d rather keep my operation smaller and more manageable. I make enough for my needs, and that suits me fine.”

He looked at her in surprise as she vanished into a small outbuilding near the back of the property. She’d matured a lot since she’d left, become more shrewd, more confident, more… independent. Of course, she’d always had an independent streak in her. But when they’d met, she was still reeling from the sudden loss of both her parents and feeling a little like a lost lamb. He suspected that was part of why she’d been attracted to him, at least at first. Fifteen years her senior, he represented the stability and security that she had craved and needed. How could she possibly have known that despite his advantage in years, he trailed her in maturity?

He heard a peal of laughter from the shed, and a moment later, she emerged, still laughing and pulling a smiling middle-aged woman along with her. The woman had a kerchief tied over strawberry blonde curls, and she wore yellow rain boots and a big apron over her clothes, decorated with two big apple patches. “Vaughn, this is Emma. She runs the local shipping business, so she’s the one that collects my goods and sells them to the distributors.”

Tipping his hat as he looked solemnly down at her, he said, “How do you do, ma’am?”

Emma giggled and smiled up at him. “Well, Rio, he certainly is charming! Pleased to meet you, Vaughn. I do hope you enjoy your stay in our little village!”

He tipped his hat to her again as Rio mounted, and he noticed that she had a vastly amused look in her eyes. She waved to Emma and they set off at a brisk trot towards the plaza, arriving at the same time as a pretty blonde dressed in a waitress’s uniform. Rio again slipped to the ground, and digging out the water and food from her pack, she hurried up to the stall where he could see Neil leaning, glowering up at him.

“Hi, honey, sorry I’m a little late. I took the time to make your favorite for you, so I hope you don’t mind?” she said as she handed him the meal.

He flushed and grumbled, “Yeah, thanks. But I told you, don’t call me that—not in public anyway. And what’s _he_ doing here?”

Rio sighed, then said, “I’m showing him around, introducing him to some of the townsfolk while I run my errands, then I’m going to take him up the mountain, show him the trails. Plus our horses need the exercise. You should bring Jack back with you tonight—then we can go for a ride tomorrow. I still have enough room in the barn for him, even with Flash there.”

“Hey, I’ve been promising to give Lissie some riding lessons—why don’t I bring back a couple of my horses, too, and we can go on a group ride!” Rod called from his stall.

“Who’s your friend, Rio?” the pretty blonde asked, looking up at Vaughn with large, deep blue eyes.

Before Rio could reply, a voice called, “Did someone say something about riding lessons? Can I join in? I’ve been _dying_ to learn how to ride a horse!” A moment later and a cheerful redhead trotted up the path towards them. “Hey, Rio, who’s the handsome stranger?”

Sighing, Rio replied, “This is Vaughn. He’ll be working on my farm, at least for the time being. Vaughn, this is Tina, that’s Rod over there—the guy that trained my pets—and his girlfriend, Felicity.”

He nodded to Rod, then tipped his hat to Tina and Felicity, saying, “Ladies, it’s a pleasure.”

Felicity smiled up at him, but Tina squealed. “Ooh! How dashing! Are you a cowboy?” Without waiting for an answer, she turned to Rod, saying, “So will you? Will you teach me how to ride a horse, too? Pleeeease?”

Rio noticed the look of dismay on Rod’s face, and looked up at Vaughn. “It’s much easier to learn one-on-one. Maybe _you_ could give her a lesson?”

He glared down at her and opened his mouth to protest, but Tina cut him off. “Oh, would you? How thrilling—riding lessons from a real cowboy! I’m so excited! Hey, Rod, can I borrow a horse from you? What time are we meeting up? Let’s all meet at the river at ten tomorrow, and bring a picnic to eat at the lake! Oh, I can’t wait!” Then before anyone could respond, she was dashing off again, this time towards the general store.

“Wha… what just happened?” Vaughn asked, after a moment of stunned silence.

“Tina, our local reporter and mail carrier, just happened,” Rio said, looking at him with an amused look.

“And you want me to teach _her_ how to ride? Forget it. Count me out.”

Somehow Rio managed to convey with a single look a reminder that he was not yet back in her good graces, and that his refusal to help her friends when asked would _not_ be counted in his favor. In that moment, he realized that he cared more about winning Rio back than anything else, so he found himself saying, “Okay. I’ll do it. But you _owe_ me, Rio.”

She just smiled enigmatically at him in reply.


	7. Opening

After everyone agreed to Tina’s proposed meeting time and place, Rio gave Neil a quick kiss, grinning at his grumbling protests, and swung back up into her saddle. “Come on, Vaughn,” she called as she started towards the woods behind the plaza. “There’s three paths out of the village, and this is one of them. Follow me,” and she urged her mare ahead and vanished into the shady forest.

Vaughn started after her, but Neil grabbed hold of Flash’s bridle as he started to trot past. “Remember,” he growled, scowling up at him, “Hands _off_.”

Looking down at him with one eyebrow raised, Vaughn drawled, “Kid, if _you_ were more ‘hands _on_ ,’ you wouldn’t have to worry about what anyone _else’s_ hands were up to.” Then he jerked free and headed into the forest at a canter, ignoring Neil’s black look boring into his back.

The trail was just wide enough for two to ride abreast, so he pulled up alongside Rio and slowed to match her mare’s gait. She glanced over at him, saying, “I have a couple of people I need to see on the west side of the village. This trail is kind of a back road through the woods between the two ends of the village. A little ways ahead the path splits, and you can either go on up the mountain or head into the village—that’s the second way in or out of town.” As she spoke, they reached the fork, and she turned her mare south.

A few minutes later, the woods thinned, and they stepped out of the shadows into the golden glow of the fall afternoon. Vaughn soon recognized the back of the inn up ahead, and saw a few large houses that he’d only halfway noticed yesterday. Rio turned her horse towards one of these, a pretty little cottage surrounded by flowers, and dismounted at the gate. She paused and looked up at him, waiting, so he slid to the ground and walked over.

“This is Olivia’s house. She runs the teashop on weekends. I need to talk to her for a few minutes, so come on in and meet her. She’s a beautiful person—inside and out. But she’s taken,” she added with a grin.

Vaughn snorted. “As if I cared, anyway.”

She laughed as she pushed open the gate. “Well, wait ‘til you meet her. _Everyone_ falls in love with her, at least a little bit—women as well as men.”

“Did _you_?” Vaughn asked, raising his eyebrows in surprise.

“Madly,” Rio said, laughing again, “but just in that schoolgirl-crushy kind of way. She really _is_ a very charming lady, though.” Then she pushed the door open and stepped in.

“Liv! Are you home?” she called, looking around.

A voice floated in from the back of the house—a sweet, lilting voice, as smooth as silk and as musical as birdsong. “Yes, I’m here! I’m in the back yard, just come on through!”

Rio led him through a tidy living area, decorated with flowers and houseplants everywhere, and through a door at the rear of the house. He stepped out into a small but flourishing garden—an exotic paradise in miniature. And most exotic of all was the lady rising from her seat in a bower of jasmine and honeysuckle. Tall and willowy, with long, waves of snowy white hair touched with the faintest tinge of lilac rippling over her shoulders and down her back, her skin bronzed nearly as deeply as Rio’s, and dressed in layer upon layer of loose, flowing fabric in shades of purple and gold. She looked like a princess or perhaps even a goddess, and Vaughn wondered how it was that such a creature came to rest in this tiny mountain village.

“Vaughn, you’re _staring_ ,” Rio whispered to him as she elbowed him in the ribs, looking amused. He shook himself and frowned down at her. But she’d already turned towards the beautiful woman as she stepped gracefully around pots of tropical plants towards them, her hands outstretched as she welcomed her guests.

“Rio,” she exclaimed in her lyrical voice, “I’m delighted to see you. Who is your handsome friend?”

“This is Vaughn. He’s going to be helping me out on the farm, so I’m sure you’ll see him around,” she replied with a smile.

“Vaughn? Welcome to our little village. I hope you’ll be happy here,” Olivia said, turning towards him with large, liquid, blue-violet eyes.

“Y-yes, ma’am,” he replied, slightly flustered. “I reckon so.” Then recollecting himself, he hastily tipped his hat, his cheeks slightly flushed.

Turning back to Rio, she asked, “Will you take a glass of iced tea? Or perhaps some lemonade? No? Then to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?”

“I’m just stopping by to let you know that the peaches and mangos are coming in, as well as the summer crop of tea, so if you want any for your shop, just come by one morning soon.”

Olivia clapped her hands in delight. “How lovely! Thank you, Rio. Your produce really _is_ the best. Do you know, some of the more regular tourists even ask for tea from your farm by name? You’re getting quite a reputation!”

Rio laughed. “Thanks, Liv, that’s kind of you to say. We need to get going, but do stop by anytime!”

Next, Rio headed down the sloping path leading from the bluff. She stopped in front of a small shop and slid down to the ground. “Come on in and meet Yuri,” she said as she turned towards the front door. Vaughn sighed and resolutely followed her in.

“Rio! How nice to see you,” a young woman half-hidden by a pile of fabrics called as they walked through the door. “Oh, and you brought a friend?” She stepped around from behind her work table, looking suddenly shy. “How, uh, how do you do?” she asked, holding out a hand to Vaughn.

He took it and gave it a gentle shake. “Fine, thanks.”

“This is Vaughn. He’s going to be working on my farm, so I’m showing him around,” Rio explained.

“Oh, that’s nice. I know you’ve been working your fingers to the bone lately. That’s a lot for one person to manage alone, especially with all you’ve been doing for the village, too. I had hoped that Neil…. Well, anyway, what can I do for you?”

Overlooking the comment regarding her boyfriend, Rio said, “Well, you know the Fireworks Festival is coming up soon, and I don’t have anything that I want to wear to it. I was hoping you could help me out with that?”

Vaughn groaned to himself— _clothes shopping_ , of all things. Almost as detestable as carrots—not quite, but close. He leaned against a counter and stoically prepared himself for a long wait.

Yuri pulled at her lip as she thought. “Well, I have some nice new skirts in… I don’t think they’re really your ‘thing’ though. Let’s see….” She dug through a rack and pulled out a trio of skirts—all longish and full, one was in a light cotton print, one in chambray, and one was a tiered skirt in different floral prints.

Rio scowled. “No, they aren’t are they. I want something casual, since I’ll be sitting on the grass, and I want something that’s… well, sexy but not trampy. I’m not going to a nightclub, after all.”

“Hmmm… sexy yet sweet…. Ah! I think I know juuuust….” Once more she dove into her racks of clothing. After a few minutes of digging around, she pulled out a hanger with a pair of bleached, distressed short shorts and a pair of hangers with lacey, sheer tops hanging from them. “Here we are!” she proclaimed with a satisfied nod as she held them up for Rio’s inspection.

“I don’t know…” Rio said, looking at the tops doubtfully. “Those are awfully skimpy, aren’t they?”

“Yes, on their own, but when you layer them…. Here, take these back and try them on, see if you like them and how they fit.”

Rio took the clothes from her and went back to the changing room. She stepped back out a few minutes later dressed in the outfit, and Yuri walked around her, revolving like a satellite around a star as she inspected the effect and the fit with a critical eye. Vaughn took a look at her and let out a long, low whistle. Rio blushed, and Yuri glanced over at him, startled from her professional reverie, and smiled. “Well, it seems your friend here approves, anyway. It _does_ look terrific on you—the white lace is very striking against your dark tan. The shorts are a little baggy, and the shoulders of the outer top need some fitting. The camisole is fine—you’re a little tall for it, but it still looks good, just a little more cropped than was intended. If you like it, I can adjust the fit and get it to you well before the day of the festival.”

“I guess it’s not _very_ revealing layered like this—and I’ll be wearing it at night, anyway,” Rio mused. “All right, I’ll take it. Thanks, Yuri!” She changed back into her clothes, handed the new outfit to Yuri and paid up. Yuri said she’d have it ready within a week, and they took their leave.

As Rio mounted Sahara, Vaughn looked up at her. “Better watch out, Rio.”

She looked at him in surprise as he swung up into his saddle. “For what?”

“You could really get a man all hot ‘n’ bothered in a get-up like that. Just… be careful.”

She flushed and frowned at him. “Knock it off, Vaughn. I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself,” she said, and urged her mare ahead, this time heading east.

Vaughn shrugged, muttering to himself, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” before following after her.

He caught up to her and fell in alongside her. She remained silent, though, as they passed a few more houses and shops until they came full circle to Emma’s house. She was in her front yard this time, weeding a flowerbed, and she waved to them cheerily as they rode past.

“This is the final path out of town—the one you must have arrived by, if you met Neil on the road to town.” She stopped at a fork in the path, and looked towards the east. “That leads to the main road, which will take you to some of the other towns around here, and eventually to the lowlands and the cities.” Then she turned her horse and looked up the path leading north. “This path leads along the river and up the mountain. We’ll be meeting the others here tomorrow, then taking this path up to the lake near the peak.”

Before she could start up the trail, though, someone shouted her name. Turning, they saw a young boy racing up the path. They stopped and waited for him to catch up to them. He paused, panting for breath, then looked up at Rio. “Rio, Neil says to come to your farm quick! He says your cow’s having her calf, and she’s having a hard time!”

Looking startled, she looked over at Vaughn. “Thanks, Toni. Crap, I’d better get over there. You’ve still got hours of daylight, though, if you want to go on ahead and explore. Other than right here, where the path splits and heads to the main road, the only other path that doesn’t eventually lead back to the village is the one that heads down into the mines. I’d avoid that one, though, while you’re on horseback anyway. And stay away from cliffs, for now anyway.”

She turned and urged her mare into a gallop, hurrying back to her farm. Vaughn watched her go, Toni running after her, until she was out of sight. Then he looked up the path, thinking. Finally he made up his mind, and continued on towards the mountain.

* * *

 

“Well, here you are, Rio,” Neil said, wearily wiping the rivulets of sweat from his forehead. “A big, strong fellow, too. What do you want to call him?” He sat tiredly on a bale of hay. This had been Rosie’s first calf, and it had not been an easy delivery. The afternoon had long since given way to the shadows of the evening, and he caught the distant trilling of a hermit thrush singing a lullaby to the sun.

Rio sighed. She didn’t have space for a bull on her farm, not at present anyway. “He _is_ a handsome little guy. Too bad I can’t keep him. I’ll just call him, oh….”

“How about Vaughn?” Neil suggested.

“ _Vaughn_? Why?”

“They’re both full of bullshit,” he replied, drily.

Rio rolled her eyes and snorted, then rose and brushed the hay from her legs. “I think I’ll just call him Brownie, since that’s what color he is. I’ll hand him over to you once he’s weaned from his mama, and you can sell him at your shop or to a dealer, whatever you think’s best.” She stretched, arching her back and wincing as something popped loudly. She held out a hand to Neil and pulled him up. “Come on, let’s get cleaned up and go out to dinner. My treat. Do you want to go to Clement’s, or to the inn? The inn’s a little quieter….”

“Yeah, but if we go there, you know Niko’s just gonna shove a cream puff in my face. He’s determined to convert me into a dessert lover,” Neil grumbled.

“I’ll save you from the scary cream puff if he comes at you with one, I promise,” Rio said with a tired smile. “Meet you at your house in half an hour or so?”

“Sure,” Neil said with a sigh. Then he looked over at Rio, who was gazing fondly at the newborn and his mother, and a tender look came into his eyes. “Hey,” he said, reaching out for her. “C’mere.” He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly, rubbing his cheek against her hair. She smelled of hay and sweat and muck and even a little of blood from the birth of the calf—but he didn’t care. After all, he did, too.

She leaned tiredly into him, then reluctantly tore her gaze from the little bull calf with a sigh. “I guess we should go. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”

Neil chuckled—a rarity for him. “You have an insatiable appetite,” he said, kissing her on top of her head.

“Hey—farming’s hard work!” she protested.

“True,” he admitted with a smile, then he took her hand in his and led her out of the barn.

They parted at the pasture gate. “See you in a little while,” he said, then he gave her a kiss, allowing himself to linger a little longer than usual this time, since they were alone. Though he was becoming more and more comfortable around her and with their relationship, it was a painfully slow process. He was intensely introverted and private by nature, and that made him uncomfortable around others. She was glad that he was finally starting to feel at ease with her, regardless of how long it was taking.

* * *

 

Hossan was delighted to see them, and due to the lateness of the hour, he had no trouble seating them at a quiet table. He held out menus, but they waved them away. “Thanks, but I already know what I want,” Neil said.

“Me, too,” Rio said. “I’d like a bowl of tom yum, some kimchi, and bibimbap, and iced tea to drink, please.” She smiled up at Hossan and looked over at Neil.

“Uh, I’ll have the chirashi sushi, please. And, uh, I’ll have iced tea, too. Thanks, Hossan.”

“Sure thing,” he beamed at them, then hurried off to the kitchen.

He brought their food out a very short while later, smiling happily as they thanked him. He returned to the kitchen, leaving them virtually alone. The only other occupants in the dining room were a small group of older ladies in a far corner, sipping tea as they talked in low tones among themselves.

“How can you eat that spicy crap all the time?” Neil asked, frowning, as he poked at his food with his chopsticks.

Rio shrugged. “I like it. My mom cooked a lot of spicy food. She was from the tropics, remember, and that’s just how they cooked where she grew up. So spicy food reminds me of her.”

He didn’t say anything more. He knew her parents had died, but she’d never said much about it or gone into details, and he didn’t want to pry. He assumed that if she wanted to talk about it, that she would just do so.

Neil had a lot to learn about women.

As predicted, when Hossan came to clear their dishes away, he brought with him a huge, gooey cream puff. “When Niko heard you were here, Neil,” Hossan said with a proud smile, “he prepared this just for you! He says he’s been working on his recipe, and he just knows you’ll love it _this_ time!”

Looking down at the confection before him, Neil frowned and opened his mouth. Rio cut him off, though, saying, “Thank you so much, Hossan! And can we get a slice of chocolate cake, too, please? And coffee. Thanks!”

He lumbered off towards the kitchen, beaming with delight, and Neil scowled at her. “Right. Thanks for your ‘ _protection’_.”

Rio giggled and said, “Shh! Keep it down. _I’ll_ eat the cream puff, you big goof—I _said_ I would, didn’t I?”

“You’re eating _two_ desserts?” Neil said, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

“ _No_! The cake’s for _Rod_ —to thank him, you know, for closing up your shop and getting your animals and cart back for you. He was even nice enough to bring Jack back with him, so you can ride him tomorrow. Didn’t you even notice him bring him by?”

“Yeah, I guess vaguely, now that you mention it. I _was_ kind of distracted at the time, you know, being elbow deep in a cow and all.”

“I guess that _would_ be a bit distracting,” Rio agreed with a grin.

Just then, Hossan reappeared with a large slice of rich, dark chocolate cake and two steaming mugs. As he set the plate and cups before them, he said, “By the way, Rio, where’s that friend of yours got to?”

“Friend?” Rio said, frowning in confusion.

“Yeah, you know—Vaughn. I haven’t seen him all day.”

“You… you haven’t? That’s weird, he should have gotten back some time ago.” Rio scowled, thinking. “Let’s see, it’s been what… maybe seven hours now since you sent Toni for me? That’s more than enough time to ride every trail on the mountain—twice, at least. Where could he have gotten to? You don’t suppose… could he have had an accident?”

Hossan hurried off to wrap the desserts to go while Rio pulled out enough cash to cover the bill and tip. As soon as he handed them the bag, she darted out the door, Neil close behind. She was so oblivious in her concern that she nearly ran right into Olivia.

“Oh! I’m so sorry,” she apologized, flushing in embarrassment. “Please excuse me, Liv, but I’m in a big hurry. I’ll talk to you later.” Then she started to race off, but Olivia clutched her arm.

“Oh, wait, Rio—I really need your help, just for a moment. A stray has arrived at my house, and I don’t know where he came from or what to do with him.”

“A… a stray?” Rio stopped, looking at her in bewilderment. “Wouldn’t Rod—”

“Oh, he’s not a dog. He’s a horse. A great, big, black horse, with a big patch of white on his back covered with black spots. And he has a saddle, but no rider. Do you know to whom he belongs?”

Rio’s face visibly paled, even in the silvery moonlight, and she swayed slightly in shock. “Yes, I do—he belongs to Vaughn, who apparently never came back from his ride up the mountain.”


	8. Fire

Rio raced up the bluff, while Neil chased after her. She stopped at Olivia’s house, and sure enough, there was Flash, his reins trailing on the ground, his saddle empty. Neil caught up to her, panting from the run, and she said, “Can you take care of Flash? I’m going to go look for Vaughn.” Then she turned and started to run towards the path into the woods, but Neil grabbed her arm.

“Oh no, you don’t. You’re not going up there by yourself in the dark. Besides, what if he _did_ manage to hurt himself? You gonna carry him back all by yourself? You can go looking for him—I seriously doubt I could stop you, anyway. But I’m coming with you. We can bring the horse with us, in case we need him.”

Rio hesitated, then nodded curtly before turning back to the path and running towards the forest, Neil leading the gelding as he followed behind her. He didn’t like this turn of events—didn’t like that she was so worried about this former lover of hers. But, he had to admit to himself, it was characteristic of her—to be so worried about others. She was always looking out for people, worrying about them, helping them, _caring_ for them… even strangers. That was something he’d never really developed a knack for, himself, and couldn’t really understand it in her. But… he admired it, all the same.

She vanished into the depths of the forest ahead of him, and moments later he heard a thud and a crash in the bushes, followed by muffled expletives. Fearful that she’d somehow managed to hurt herself already, he broke into a run, pulling the gelding along by his reins. As his eyes adjusted to the near-absence of light under the trees, he saw not one, but two figures lying on the ground, and realized that she’d managed to run straight into someone. He helped her up, then turned to the other figure.

It was Vaughn.

“What the _hell_ , Rio?” he exclaimed, picking himself up and brushing himself off.

“ _Vaughn_? I think that’s _my_ line—where have you _been_? What were you thinking, getting everyone so worried about you, just disappearing like that?”

“ _Everyone_?” he asked, looking over at Neil.

Neil shrugged. “ _I_ wasn’t worried. I just figured you’d fallen and broken your neck or something. No skin off _my_ nose.”

Rio scowled at him, then groaned. “Let’s go back out into the light. I think my nose is bleeding.”

Sure enough, a dark rivulet was trickling down her lip. Without a word, Vaughn pulled the bandana off from around his neck and handed it to her, and she pressed it to her nose, tilting her head back.

“Sorry to worry you,” he said, though he didn’t look all _that_ sorry, really, Neil thought. “I _did_ have an accident of sorts—got a little too overheated. Some of the local guys and gals were out for a walk and gave me a hand and a drink, and while I rested, we all got to talking. Next thing we knew, it was getting dark, and some of the girls wanted to make a bonfire. They tried to find you two, but they couldn’t track you down.”

“And your horse? What happened with him?” Rio asked, slightly muffled by the edges of the cloth.

“Burning log cracked with a loud bang as I was putting his bridle on him to go look for you. Startled him, and he bolted. I was chasing after him when you ran into me.”

Just then, Rod and a slender young woman with long black hair came running out of the woods. “Hey! You found him! And Rio and Neil, too!” Rod exclaimed.

“ _There_ you are,” the lady with him replied. “I was a little worried when we couldn’t find you—not _too_ worried, though, since I was sure you were with Neil.” She walked over to Rio and put an arm around her waist, giving her a little squeeze.

Rio laughed as she returned the embrace. “I’m fine, Irie—we were having dinner at the inn, that’s all. Rosie had her calf, and she had a hard time of it. We were both wiped out afterwards.” Turning to Vaughn, she said, “I assume you’ve met Iroha, then? She’s my closest friend—she moved here not long after I did, and we’ve been the best of friends ever since.”

Vaughn nodded. “Yep, I’ve made her acquaintance.”

“Well, now that the lost have been found, let’s all go back to the fire—everyone’s waiting for us,” Rod exclaimed. “You two should come, too!”

Neil shook his head. “Naw, not my thing. Besides, I’m beat.” Then he caught sight of the disappointed look on Rio’s face and sighed. “You know… you _can_ go without me. It’s okay, it’s not like I mind or anything.” Then he glanced at Vaughn with a scowl. “At least, not as long as….” He left his sentence unfinished. “On second thought, I’ll come along after all.”

“Yay!” Rod exclaimed, turning back towards the path.

“Let’s go to my farm first, though. You can put Flash away for the night, and I can grab something to eat and drink to take with us. Oh, and Rod—you can take these,” she added, taking the bag from Neil’s hand and passing it to him. “There’s a slice of chocolate cake in there for you, to thank you for helping Neil earlier. There’s a cream puff, too—Lissie can have it. I know how much she loves sweets!”

“All right, we’ll go on back and let the others know everyone’s okay,” Iroha said. “We’re down by the river, in that big field just past where the path turns to go up the mountainside. See you soon!” Then she and Rod turned to hurry back up the path.

* * *

 

Back at the farm, Vaughn led Flash to the barn while Neil and Rio headed into the house. Looking at the scowl on Neil’s face, Rio sighed. “You know, you don’t _have_ to come with me. I mean, I’d love your company, but I’ll be fine if you just want to go home and go to bed. You don’t have to force yourself on my account.”

“I’m just not real keen on the idea of leaving you alone with Vaughn like that,” Neil grumbled.

Rio smiled and walked over to him, putting her arms around his neck. “I’ll hardly be alone, not when there’s a bunch of others.” She leaned up and kissed him. “If you want to go home, then go home. Don’t worry about me. I can handle myself.”

Stifling a huge yawn, Neil said, “Well… are you sure? I’m still not crazy about the idea… but I’m practically falling asleep on my feet.”

“I’m sure. I’ll be fine.” She kissed him again, then grinned up at him mischievously. “Want me to come… tuck you in? Give you some goodnight kisses?”

He frowned at her as his cheeks reddened. “ _No_. Just go enjoy the shindig. I’ll see you at the river in the morning.” Hearing Vaughn stomping up the porch steps, he gave her a quick kiss and pulled her arms from his neck just as the door opened.

Vaughn raised an eyebrow as he looked at Neil and his reddening cheeks. “Am I interrupting something?” he asked.

“ _No_!” Neil growled.

“Unfortunately….” Rio added with a slight sigh, earning a frown from Neil.

“Right. Well, you said something about food and drinks… want me to carry anything? I don’t s’pose the store’s still open this late?”

“No, Hana closed up shop hours ago. Why? Do you need something?” Rio asked as she headed into the kitchen.

“Naw, I was just thinking that some cold beer sounds pretty good. It’s a warm night, and downright hot next to that fire.”

Rio opened her refrigerator door. “Gotcha covered,” she said, gesturing towards a nearly full case of lager.

Vaughn tilted his hat back and grinned at her. “So I see. Well, I’ll carry _that_ , and you two can carry the other stuff.”

“Oh, Neil’s changed his mind. He’s beat, so he’s going home to bed,” Rio commented, rummaging in her refrigerator. “Ah! I have some potato salad here, and some coleslaw, and oh! I have another loaf of focaccia from the other night, I can stuff that…. And I have a bunch of corn, I can bring some of it to roast in the coals. That should do it,” she said, piling bags and containers on the counter.

As she started slicing cheese and tomatoes for the focaccia, Neil came over to her. “Well, I guess I’m gonna head home. Thanks for dinner,” he said, giving her a quick kiss on her cheek. “Have fun,” he added, turning to leave.

“Don’t worry, we will,” Vaughn drawled as he walked by.

Neil stopped and glared at him. “Not _you_. You’d _better_ not have too much fun,” he snapped, then left.

“When the cat’s away….” Vaughn called after him, just as the door banged shut.

“ _Vaughn_ ….” Rio said, and sighed as she resumed her preparations.

“I know, I _know_ , Rio. But damned if I can help it. What do you _see_ in him, anyway?”

“One _might_ have asked me the same question with regards to _you_ ,” she said, drily, as she cut the focaccia into wedges and wrapped it in foil. “There. If we put this by the fire, it’ll warm up and the cheese will get all nice and melty.”

They packed all the food and some paper plates and plastic cutlery and cups into a large picnic basket, along with a couple of large bottles of cold drinks, one each of iced tea and lemonade. Rio carried the basket, Vaughn picked up the cold beer, and the headed out the door. They walked in silence, Vaughn lost in thought and Rio watching for any sign of the little weasel family she’d befriended that lived near the river.

When they arrived, the fire was blazing high, illuminating the field for some little ways all around. Glad cries greeted them as they approached, and room was made for them on the logs that served as makeshift seating.

“Oooh! You brought food!” Felicity exclaimed, diving into the basket and rummaging.

Rio laughed, and pulled out the foil-wrapped focaccia and placed it near the edge of the fire. “Here, anyone who wants roasted corn grab an ear or two and clean it. Remember not to take the husks off—just the silk!”

They cleaned the corn and placed it, still wrapped in the husks, around the edge of the fire, and then they all grabbed drinks—a bottle of beer, or a plastic cup of tea or lemonade—and sat back down in the flickering light, most of them seated on the logs, except for Rio and Felicity. Rio sat on the ground, her back against the log between Vaughn and Iroha, and Felicity sat on the ground between Rod’s feet, leaning against his leg as she ate.

“Ahh, I love a big, roaring fire,” Tina sighed, putting her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands as she leaned forward.

“That’s not at all surprising, love,” a man sitting near her said, peering over his glasses at her with laughing eyes. “Your hair _looks_ like flames.”

“ _You’re_ one to talk, Allen,” she retorted. “Yours does, too!”

“Hmm…. No, he looks more like maple trees in autumn,” Iroha said as she took a sip of tea.

“In the mountains of my homeland,” said a pretty, white-haired young man in a soft voice, “they say that the trees turn red in the autumn chill because they are blushing at the sight of young lovers holding each other so closely to share their warmth.”

“Oh, Amir, that’s so _romantic_!” Felicity sighed as she took a large bite of coleslaw.

“Well, if that’s true, then the only ones that could cause the trees around _here_ to turn crimson would be you and Rod. Neil and Rio certainly aren’t contributing anything there!” Allen said with a laugh.

“Shut up, Allen,” Rio said with a scowl as she took a sip of her beer.

“Yeah, I’m surprised that Neil ever managed to work up the nerve to kiss you the first time!” Rod said, laughing.

“Oh, I’m sure he didn’t. I’d bet anything that Rio kissed _him_ instead,” Allen grinned, waving his bottle towards her.

“Shut _up_ , Allen,” Rio snapped between clenched teeth.

Allen burst into laughter—long peals of helpless mirth. Taking his glasses off and wiping his eyes with the hem of his shirt, he said, “Don’t tell me I’m _right_? My dear, I was only teasing you, I swear!”

“Remember _our_ first kiss, Rio?” Vaughn mused, staring into the fire.

Rio scowled at him and opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by the exclamations of her friends.

“Your _what_?!?” Tina and Felicity exclaimed in unison, leaning in towards them excitedly.

“Whoah! Hey, does Neil know?” Rod exclaimed, eyes wide.

“I suspected as much from your interactions at my shop earlier,” Yuri commented.

“Oooh! How _dishy_! I had _no_ idea you two had a _history_ together! _Do_ tell—every last detail!” Allen exclaimed, his eyes shining.

Only Amir and Iroha remained silent, the former not yet well-enough acquainted with Rio to be surprised, and the latter for reasons of her own.

Brushing her hand across her eyes as she sighed, Rio took a few swallows of her beer before responding. Glaring up at Vaughn, she said, “Well, in answer to your question— _no_. I don’t remember it _at all_.”

“Oooh, harsh!” Allen exclaimed.

“I was _drunk_ —totally plastered.”

“Well, so what _happened_?” Tina exclaimed, looking from her to Vaughn and back again.

“ _You_ started it. _You_ finish it,” she grumbled, still scowling, taking another swig from her bottle.

Turning to stare into the flames again, Vaughn thought for a moment before speaking. “Well,” he drawled at last, “it was a chilly evening late in the fall. The day had been warm and sunny, but once the sun started to go down, it quickly grew pretty cool. I’d finished my day’s work and decided to go for a stroll on one of the uninhabited islands nearby—I spent a lot of time there, since it was usually deserted. I’m not really much of a people person.”

Tina opened her mouth to make a facetious comment, but Felicity caught her and smacked her leg, putting a finger on her lips to silence her.

Oblivious to this near-interruption, Vaughn continued. “Sometimes Rio’d be there—that’s where I first laid eyes on her. She was there that night, and to my surprise, she was drinking. I mean _really_ drinking—not just one or two. She meant business….”

* * *

 

Vaughn stepped off the small skiff he’d rowed over to Meadow Island, in search of some solitude after a long day’s work. He pulled it up onto the shore and strolled up to the grassy plain that comprised most of the small island. To his dismay, he saw a seated figure in the distance, on the opposite end of the island from him. Pausing, he peered at the shape ahead. Then he sighed, realizing it was Rio—the resident farmer.

She was a young thing, just turned eighteen shortly after her arrival—or so Mirabelle had told him. He’d been sure she’d be no good at first, but then he _met_ her… and everything changed. He tried so very hard not to think about her, to forget the way his heart had turned somersaults in his chest at that meeting and every meeting afterwards. Even now, he felt his heart flip-flopping at the sight of her in the distance, even though he’d known her for the better part of a year now.

Known her, in a manner of speaking. But really, he didn’t know anything about her. Just that she was young, hard-working, good with both people and animals, and beautiful— _incredibly_ beautiful. He wondered how it happened that she was still alone. He was sure she had to have other admirers… but then, where were they?

As he slowly made his way towards her, he realized she wasn’t moving, just sitting there with her knees drawn up and her head resting on them. Maybe she’d fallen asleep like that, waiting for the sunset? Then he noticed a bottle of amber liquid next to her, half empty—whiskey, he saw, as he drew near enough to recognize the label. She’d probably nodded off, if she’d drunk that much by herself. He frowned—he hadn’t realized she drank, and wondered if she was developing a problem. The legal age in the islands was eighteen, but that didn’t mean everyone who was old enough could handle it—‘specially the hard stuff. He bent over her, reaching out a hand to gently shake her awake, and then he heard the sound of a muffled sob.

Startled, he drew back. She wasn’t _asleep_ —she was _crying_. She was sitting all by herself on a deserted island, drinking and crying. Not good, he thought to himself.

“Rio? You okay?” he said, quietly.

She sprang up and away, her eyes wide and her mouth open in shock. She relaxed when she realized it was him, and stood, swaying slightly, just _looking_ at him. He saw that her face was wet with tears, and fought down the urge to wipe them from her cheeks. Instead he just untied the bandana he wore around his neck and handed it to her without a word.

After a brief hesitation, she took it from him and wiped her eyes. Then she sat back down and picked up the bottle. Removing the cap, she drank several large gulps.

“Hey, go slow, little missy. That’s powerful stuff.” She looked away, wiped her arm across her eyes, then offered the bottle to him. He took it and looked at her as she stared towards the setting sun, seeing fresh tears taking the place of those she’d dried a moment before. “Hey, you okay? You wanna talk?” he heard himself asking. He could hardly believe he’d even _said_ those words—he usually avoided situations like this at any cost.

He took a swig from the bottle, then she held out her hand and he passed it back to her. She took a swig, too, then handed it back and leaned her head forward against her knees. “It’s… it’s already been a year,” she said, her voice muffled by her clothes and her body and her tears.

“A… year? A year since what?” he asked, baffled, before taking another pull at the bottle.

“Since they died,” she said, her shoulders shaking.

“Who died?” he asked after a brief hesitation, more kindly this time.

“My… my parents. They were killed in an accident a year ago today. They were driving home in a storm, and there was… the road… there was a landslide. It swept them down the hill and into the ocean. They… they should have stayed where they were! They’d gone away for the weekend, for their anniversary… they didn’t want to leave me alone another night. They were worried about leaving me alone. They should’ve stayed!” She burst into tears, hugging her legs tightly as if to try to still the trembling that shook her entire body.

Vaughn stared at her in astonishment. He’d no idea—he was pretty sure that no one there had any idea, in fact. So she’d come here, recently orphaned, and dove in to save the ranch and the islands, too. She’d never given any hint of tragedy, always focused on anyone and everyone rather than on herself. He felt his heart constricting in his chest, and wanted more than anything to offer her some comfort in return for all that she’d given him and everyone else.

He put an arm across her shoulders—awkwardly, not knowing how she’d receive his gesture. But she leaned into him then, and he pulled her closer, absorbing some of her grief into his vast store of stillness. When she reached for the bottle again, he took a quick drink and handed it back to her. It was nearly empty now, but then she pulled a second bottle from her backpack on the grass next to her, and he wondered just how many bottles she’d brought.

They sat like that for a while, passing the bottle back and forth, watching the sun slowly sink into the horizon in a blaze of fiery glory. The sky gradually darkened and the moon rose behind them, bathing the islands in a silvery glow. After a few minutes, she cleared her throat, and said in a slightly slurred whisper, “I miss them, Vaughn. I miss them so much. We were so close, the three of us. I wish I’d had a chance to say goodbye… to tell them one last time how much I loved them…. I wish I’d told them to stay put and not that I was looking forward to them coming home.”

After a minute, he said, “What… uh, what were your folks like?”

She took another drink and flopped back onto the grass, staring up at the sky as the stars winked into sight, one by one. “Oh, look—over there. The first star. Make a wish,” she ordered, and paused—evidently making one herself. Then after a moment, she sighed and said, “Daddy was kind, gentle—he loved animals, loved flowers, and more than anything, he loved Mama and me. He was a teacher, and he taught language arts. Poetry was his favorite subject, though. Mama was sweet and patient, never complained. She was a hard worker, but she _enjoyed_ what she did—almost made it look fun, even. She always had a smile on her face. I was their only child—they’d wanted more, but Mama couldn’t.”

After a long pause, Vaughn said, “They sound like good folk. I’m sorry, Rio. Dunno what else to say, but I _am_ sorry. They’d be proud of you, I’m sure. You’re a good kid.”

She sat up again and took another long drink, then looked over at him, frowning. “Why do you always _do_ that?”

“Do _what_?” he asked, genuinely puzzled.

“Treat me like I’m a child. I’m eighteen, you know. An adult. I have my own ranch, take care of myself. I can buy _this_ crap,” she added, sloshing the bottle in her hand. “You know the saying—if it looks like a duck and it quacks like a duck, it prob’ly is a duck. Well, I’m a duck now. I mean, an adult,” she corrected, giggling a little.

“So I see. Kid, you may be eighteen, but I’m thirty-three. I’m _way_ ahead of you. Almost old enough to be your dad.”

“Don’ call me kid. Call me Rio,” she said, scowling at him.

He just raised an eyebrow at her and took the bottle from her, taking a long pull as he watched her.

“Go on,” she said, impatiently, “say it.”

“Say what?” he drawled.

“My _name_ ,” she said, grabbing the bottle back and looking put out.

“Maybe some other time, kid,” he said, amused.

To his surprise, she shoved him back onto the ground and straddled him, hovering over him on her hands and knees, glowering into his face. “I’m _not_ a _kid_ ,” she snapped. He stared up at her with startled eyes, seeing traces of tears still staining her cheeks and smelling the scent of her—whiskey and salt and crushed grass and leaves and hay and grain.

And then she kissed him.

Her kiss was desperate, needy, urgent—a kiss utterly careless of consequences or tomorrows. It was sweet and piquant all at once, whiskey sharpening the taste of her into a diamond tip. It took his breath away as no other kiss had before. And when she finally pulled back, glaring defiantly down at him, he lay there and stared back at her for a long moment.

Then at last, still in a daze, he reached up and stroked her cheek lightly and whispered, “Rio….”

* * *

 

“Ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmy _gosh_!!!” Tina squealed, clasping her hands together and bouncing on the log in excitement.

Looking panicked, Rio sat straight up and said, “Tina Louise Ferguson! Don’t you _dare_ breathe a word of this in your newspaper column, or I’ll tell _everyone_ all about the time you—”

“Okay, _okay_ , I won’t!” she interrupted, her face turning pale and her eyes widening. “But _still_! Oh! My! _Gosh_!!!”

“ _Then_ what happened?” Felicity asked, breathlessly, her eyes sparkling.

“I took her home and got her into bed…” Vaughn started.

“Did you _take_ _advantage_ of her?” Tina gasped, looking half reproving, half horrified, and entirely hopeful.

“ _No_. I most certainly did _not_. As soon as she was safe in her home, I returned to the inn and went to bed myself. And that was that.” Vaughn said, exasperated.

“Awww…” said Tina, deflating. “I was hoping there was more to the story than that.”

“Oh, there is. Lots more. Just not from that particular night.”

Seeing her friend opening her mouth eagerly, Rio hastily jumped up. “Oh, look, everyone—the corn’s ready! Grab an ear, quick—before it scorches!” And she picked up a hot ear of corn and threw it to Tina, who yelped as she grabbed the hot packet, forgetting all about her question as a result. At least, for the moment….


	9. Ice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting a little early this time--I hope you enjoy it!

Tossing her corncob onto the roaring fire, Tina brushed her hands off and looked eagerly at Vaughn. Rio groaned inwardly, but Tina had purposely waited for her to take a bite before speaking up.

“So,” she said, leaning forward, her eyes shining in the firelight, “you two got together after that?”

Vaughn flung his corncob onto the fire, too. “Nope.”

Tina sat back, startled. “But… I thought….”

“It was just a drunken kiss, that’s all,” Rio said, frowning as she finished her corn.

Vaughn glanced down at her, raising an eyebrow as he looked thoughtfully at her. “True,” he said after a moment. “It wasn’t until winter that things began to heat up between us—in a manner of speaking.”

“What do you mean?” Felicity asked, curling up and laying her head on Rod’s knee as she looked up at him.

“Well,” he said, slowly, sliding down to the ground and leaning back against the log. “It happened that I didn’t see much of her after that night….”

Rio snorted. “You mean, you purposely avoided me after that night.”

“Fair enough,” he agreed, knocking his hat back and resting his elbows on the log.

“Then how _did_ you get together?” Felicity asked.

Vaughn hesitated, and Rio gave an exasperated snort. “If you’re going to tell the story, then _tell_ it already—and tell it _right_. You see, we had a really bad winter that year—I was told it was the worst they’d had in decades….”

* * *

 

Rio stepped out of her house and shivered, despite her coat and scarf. The air stung, it was so cold and dry. Nothing grew in her fields—even the grass had died back under the heavy snowfall. She hunched her shoulders and ran towards her barns to take care of her animals, eager to get out of the wind and cold.

It was her first winter on her own, and nothing in her past had prepared her for this… this complete _dearth_. Her only sources of income were the milk, eggs, and fleece from her livestock, and whatever she caught fishing or dug up in the mines. It wasn’t much, but it was enough… barely. She’d had to hold off on some of the construction she’d hoped to do over the winter, though. But then, even if she’d had the funds, she doubted that Gannon, mighty as he was, could manage to get much done in _this_ weather.

She finished up her chores and still had the rest of the day to kill. She wished she’d been better prepared, she thought yet again as she trudged through the snow-covered fields back to her house. But then, her life had taken all kinds of unexpected turns over the past year or so, she thought bitterly. Remembering her parents’ deaths reminded her of that night a while back, the anniversary of their deaths. When she’d drunk herself stupid on cheap whiskey. She just barely remembered Vaughn showing up and startling her while she was drinking, but that was about the last thing she remembered until she woke late the next morning, miserable from a vicious hangover and wondering how she’d gotten home.

She sighed as she stepped into her house. She hadn’t seen him since that night. Not _really_ , anyway—just a glimpse now and then in the distance. But whenever she arrived where she’d seen him, he was no longer there. It was like chasing mirages. She wondered if he’d been disgusted by her drunkenness, if she’d said or done something that had shocked him. Shaking her head to clear it, she put her tools away and headed back out. She had so little to do, she found plenty of time to socialize. Not that she felt much like it in this weather, but it gave her the chance to see if there was anything she could do to help her fellow islanders out. Winter was hard all around, after all.

Her first stop was Taro’s house where she dropped off the milk and few eggs she’d collected that morning to be sold at market. He patted her arm encouragingly, saying, “Don’t fret, m’dear. Winter can’t last forever. My old bones tell me that it’ll be a bright, sunny day tomorrow, so there’s _that_ to look forward to.”

Smiling at the wizened old man, she thanked him before asking after his health. He was very proud to be so active at his age, but he wasn’t above the occasional complaint common among the elderly. Today it was his hands. “Dadgummed cold gets to them,” he grumbled. “Makes it hard to write, some days.” She promised to chop some firewood for his stove later in the day and continued on her way.

She saw most of the islanders that morning as she stopped at each house and shop. But there was still no sign of Vaughn, although it was a Monday. Mirabelle noticed her looking around on her third stop there and smiled. “If you’re lookin’ for Vaughn, he was here early this morning. Said since business was slow, he was going to go out for a time. Can I help you with anything?”

Flushing, Rio shook her head. “No, thanks. I’m fine. I think I’ll go do some fishing, or maybe some mining.”

“The mines are warm and dry this time of year,” Mirabelle called as she went back out the door. And as she shivered and pulled up her scarf up over her chin, Rio had to admit that warm and dry sounded pretty damned good right then. So when she reached the dock, she asked the boatman, Kirk, to take her to Volcano Island. She had her mallet and hoe with her, so she was set to do a little mining.

She was startled to see another, smaller boat already there when Kirk docked. She looked around, but didn’t see any sign of anyone. Shrugging, she guessed someone must already be down in the mines, and headed towards the entrance.

Stepping inside and blinking to adjust to the relative darkness, she jumped when she saw a figure huddled at the far end of the cave. Approaching, she was even more surprised to see it was Vaughn. He looked unwell—pale, and thinner. He seemed to be asleep, but when she got closer, he started and looked up, scowling at the intrusion.

“Vaughn? Are you okay? You… you don’t look well. Is there anything I can do to help you?” she asked, looking at him anxiously.

“Naw, don’t bother yourself,” he growled in a hoarse voice. “I can manage.”

“You should be in bed,” Rio started to scold. And that’s when she noticed the pack and bedroll pushed back into the shadows. She stared at them for a moment, then looked at him. He stared back at her, scowling and defiant, but said nothing. “You… you’ve been sleeping here? In the mines? Why aren’t you staying in the inn, like—” As she spoke, it dawned on her: business would be as bad for him as for her, if not worse, and he just didn’t have the money.

She frowned down at him as she hesitated, making up her mind. Then she remembered something her Mama had told her once. “Kindness is when you love someone even if they don’t deserve it,” she’d said one afternoon as they had baked cookies together, to take to the cranky old man that lived down the road from their house. She hadn’t understood, back then, why her mother wasted her delicious cookies on such a mean person time and time again. It wasn’t until after he’d died that she’d learned he had been all alone, widowed and childless, and felt bitter in his loneliness. He was a cantankerous old man—but he’d always spoken of her Mama with respect and with a light in his eyes that shone for no one else in her recollection.

So with that memory fresh in her mind, she held out her hand to him, to pull him up. He didn’t make it easy, of course—he just stared at her as if she’d lost her mind. “Come on,” she said after a moment. “I’ll get you some food.”

“I don’t need nothin’,” he grumbled, then he began to cough, the spasms wracking his body.

Exasperated, she wished she was bigger, so that she could just pick him up bodily and carry him out of there. It might be a warm, dry shelter, but the sulfurous stench surely wasn’t good for him, especially while he was sick.

“Just come _on_ , already!” she exclaimed as soon as his cough subsided. “Don’t be such a pain in the ass. Let me get you a hot meal.”

He opened his mouth to refuse again, scowling up at her, but another paroxysm of coughing came over him. Finally she grabbed his arm and hauled him up, and although he protested, he didn’t resist, either. She pulled him along behind her to the dock and got him into the boat, then hurried back to gather up his things.

When they reached Verdure Island, she stepped out, carrying his packs as well as her own, and helped him out. But as soon as he took a step, he wobbled and half fell over, landing on one knee. Kirk jumped out of the boat to lend a hand steadying him, and Ray—fishing near the dock as usual—hurried over to see if he could help. Rio asked him to hurry and get Mirabelle or Julia, and he took off at a trot towards the feed store. Meanwhile, Kirk helped her get him standing again and to support him as he suffered another bout of coughing. “I think I’d better go fetch Trent after you get him settled,” Kirk said, once Vaughn quieted again.

“I reckon so. I guess I’ll take him back to my house, at least for now, so if you could send him along there, that would be a big help. Thanks, Kirk.” She peered off through the light snowfall to see if there was any sign of help yet, and a few minutes later, Julia came running along.

“What is it? What’s happened?” she gasped, as she slipped across the icy dock towards us.

“I found Vaughn. He’s pretty sick, and he can’t walk too well. I need help getting him to the farm. Can you lend a hand?”

“Vaughn? _Sick_? Geez, Ma told him that was going to happen if he didn’t take better care of himself. He’s just too danged stubborn to listen.” Julia said, exasperated. But she came around and took Kirk’s place, supporting him on one side while Rio held him up on the other. Between the two of them, they managed to get him onto shore, which was less slick than the dock had been, and then they hauled him through town and to Rio’s farm.

“Damn, he’s half frozen,” Rio muttered as they pulled him inside and quickly shut the door to keep out the cold and the snow. “Can you get his boots off and get him into bed? I’m going to start the kettle and build up the fire. Oh, crap—I need to chop some more firewood. Can you spare the time to stay with him while I do that? Kirk’s gone to fetch the doctor, so he should be here in a couple of hours.”

“Yeah, I can stay. Ma sent me because she was helping a customer—and you know how scarce those are these days. Though if she’d realized how sick he was, she’d have come anyway. But she’ll be fine in the shop by herself for a while.”

“I know she would have. Thanks, Jules—I’ll be back as fast as I can. Go ahead and make tea for both of you when the kettle boils—you know where everything is.”

Rio returned about half an hour later, her arms full of firewood. She carefully dropped it near the stove and hurried back out, returning a few minutes later with another armful, then made one more trip, bringing both firewood and some smaller sticks for kindling. She set some wood aside by the door to take to Taro, and put the rest in the bin by the stove. The fire was still going, but it was starting to die down a little, so she added some wood and went to inspect her guest.

“How’s he doing?” she asked Julia in a low voice as she gazed down at him, sound asleep in her bed.

“Hard to say,” she whispered, sipping her tea. “He gulped a cup of tea, then fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow. I don’t think he’s feverish, or not very, so _that’s_ good news, anyway.”

“Well, I can manage now if you need to get back, Jules. Thanks for your help.”

“Oh, sure, anytime. That’s what friends are for, right, Ree? But I think I’ll stick around a bit, see what the doctor says. Ma will want to know.”

Rio made them some more tea and pulled up the only other chair in the house. They sat and sipped their drinks in silence, not wanting to wake Vaughn, as they waited for the doctor to arrive.

About an hour later, there was a firm knock on the door. Rio hurried over and opened it, and Dr. Trent stepped in. “Where’s the patient?” he asked, then spotted him in the bed and strode over, dropping his black bag on her table and shedding his heavy winter coat as he went.

He examined Vaughn, who kept slipping in and out of a doze the whole time. Then he stood up and looked at Rio and Julia. “Well, it’s not _too_ bad, yet. Just a severe bout of bronchitis. He’s been neglecting his health, I see, which makes it worse. You’ll have to be careful that it doesn’t develop into pneumonia.”

“Do you have any medicine that will help him?” Rio asked, startled by the anxiety in her own voice.

Trent shook his head. “No, not really. It’s the same as with a cold—you just have to let it take its course. He should get better in a week or two, though his cough might hang on longer. But you’ll need to keep him warm and dry while he recovers. He’s in poor condition, though, so it’s possible it will take even longer for him to fight it off.” He packed his bag again and started to pull on his coat. “Plenty of fluids, plenty of rest, nutritious food, and keep him warm. Got that?”

Rio nodded. “Yes, doctor. Thanks. Can you send you bill to me?”

Julia nudged her aside. “No, doc—send it to us at the feed store. We’ll pay it.” Turning to Rio, she said, “I know you don’t have a lot of money, Ree—you haven’t been here even a year yet. Besides, Ma feels as if Vaughn’s almost like a son to her. She’ll want to do whatever she can to help.”

She hesitated, then slowly nodded. “All right. Thanks, Jules, and tell Mirabelle thanks, too.”

Doctor Trent left, and Julia started to follow, then paused and looked back with a frown. “Hey, where are _you_ going to sleep? Vaughn’s got your only bed.”

Rio opened her eyes wide in surprise—she hadn’t thought about that. “Well… he had a bedroll in his things. I guess I could use that, set it up on the floor here….”

Julia shook her head and smiled. “Don’t be an idiot, Ree. We have an old folding cot somewhere, I’ll dig it out and bring it to you. We have extra bedding, too, so I’ll bring you some of that. I’ll be back in a while.”

About an hour later, both Julia and Mirabelle showed up, carrying the cot and bunches of blankets, a couple of pillows, and a few bags. “Ma wanted to bring over some things for Vaughn, too.” Julia explained as they stepped in and deposited everything on the table and floor.

“How is he, Rio?” Mirabelle asked, her face anxious as she looked at the sleeping figure in the bed.

“Quiet. He must not have slept well in ages. He hardly even woke when the doctor was examining him.”

“Poor, stubborn man. I tried to warn him…. Well, I brought you a bunch of rice. He _loves_ rice porridge—I don’t know if you knew that. No? It’s his favorite food, if you can believe it! I guess it’s just plain, simple, comfort food. Anyway, it seemed like a nice, hot meal for him. I brought you more tea and some juice, too. Oh, and some whiskey, honey, and a few lemons—for his cough, you know. I’ll phone his boss and let him know he’ll be out sick for a while. Is there anything else we can do for you? Then I suppose we’d best be on our way, now, and let the patient sleep. Let us know if we can help, you hear? Take care, sweetie!”

And then they were gone, and she was alone with Vaughn. The shadows were growing long at this point, so while she put away the supplies Mirabelle had brought her and set up the cot, she thought about what she could cook for dinner. She didn’t know if he’d wake up and join her, though she felt as though she ought to at least try to get him to eat something. Soup maybe? She knew that he hated most vegetables—he’d told her so last summer, when she asked if he’d be at the summer crop festival. But maybe if it was just a broth…. Then she looked at the big sack of rice and decided that she’d try making porridge instead. She’d never even eaten it before, but she had a recipe that Nick had given her once. Looking at the scrawled instructions, it didn’t seem too difficult, so she got too work.

An hour later, she was ladling up creamy, steaming porridge into a deep bowl. She carried it over to the bed and sat in a chair next to it. “Vaughn?” she said, gently shaking his shoulder. “Hey, Vaughn, wake up. I’ve got some porridge here for you.”

One eye cracked open and looked up at her blearily. “Wha’…?” he croaked.

“Porridge, and a glass of juice, too. So sit up and eat while it’s still hot.”

He struggled to a seated position and rubbed his arm across his eyes. “Where… where am I? _Rio_? What happened?”

“Eat, and I’ll explain while you eat,” she said. He still just stared at her, dazed, so she sighed and said, “Are you going to eat this porridge, or do I need to feed it to you one bite at a time?”

He frowned and took the bowl from her and took a tentative bite. “Not bad. Pretty dang good, actually,” was all he said, then he dove in, eating as if ravenous.

While he ate, she said, “I don’t know how much you remember?”

He paused in his eating. “Last thing I remember was getting off my skiff and going into that cave on Volcano Island.”

“Yeah, I figured,” she said, watching him. “Well, I went to do some mining and found you there. You were in pretty bad shape—weak and coughing pretty hard. The fumes in that cavern must have made it even worse. I got you out of there and back to Verdure Island, but then you collapsed. Julia helped me get you back here, and the doctor came and looked at you. He says you have a bad case of bronchitis, and that you need to stay indoors and warm until you’re better.”

Vaughn scowled. “I’m fine,” he insisted, then looked around. “Where am I, anyway?”

Rio raised an eyebrow at him. “In my house, where else?”

He looked startled and even turned a little red. “I’m in your bed, then?” He set the bowl down and started to rise. “I can’t stay here,” he said, flatly.

“Oh yes, you can—and you _will_ ,” Rio said, pushing him back down and gritting her teeth. “Look, I don’t know why you’ve developed such an aversion to me. But I’m not letting you back out into the snow and wind and cold—the doctor said you might get pneumonia if you weren’t careful. So you’re staying, if I have to strip you naked and hide your clothes.”

That time Vaughn _really_ blushed, though he looked pissed off, too. “Docs don’t know everything,” he grumbled. “‘Sides, you wouldn’t dare.”

“Try me,” she said with a determined scowl.

He thought better of it, and sat back. “ _Fine_. I’ll stay. For now, anyway.”

“Promise no sneaking off while I’m doing my chores or sleeping at night?” she said, suspiciously.

“Yeah, whatever. I promise.” He glared up at her—but she could have sworn that, for just a moment, she caught a hint of amusement in his eyes.

Still eying him suspiciously, she went and refilled his bowl and topped off his juice. While she was dishing up, another coughing spasm hit, so she quickly mixed together some of the whiskey, honey, and fresh lemon juice and took it to him. He drank it down, wincing from the burn on his raw throat, then she brought him the porridge. This time he thanked her, though somewhat gruffly.

As she watched him, she chewed her lip as she thought. Finally, she said, “Vaughn… why _have_ you been avoiding me? Did I… was it because of that night when I was drunk?”

He looked up at her, startled, and the red crept back into his cheeks. “Don’t you remember?”

Her eyes opened wide, and she looked a little panicked. “N-not really, the last thing I remember was you showing up. The rest is kind of lost in a fog. Did… did I say something?”

“Naw, I mean you said plenty, but it wasn’t that,” he said, scraping the bowl to get the last bite.

“Then… then what _did_ —”

He abruptly lay back down and turned his back to her. “I’m tired. I’m goin’ to sleep. ‘Night, Rio. And… uh, thanks.” Then he seemed to fall right asleep.

Rio just stared at his back for several minutes. Then she slowly stood up and quietly made herself a sandwich, which she ate while poring over one of the books about farming she’d been given as a gift when she arrived in the Islands. Then, glancing at Vaughn’s back nervously, she quickly slipped out of her clothes and into flannel pajamas before crawling under the blankets on the cot and falling into a deep sleep.


	10. Warmth

Rio paused in her narrative and opened another bottle of beer. She took a few swallows, staring meditatively into the fire. Iroha watched her, a thoughtful look in her eyes. After a moment, she said, “So you took him in, gave him your bed, and fed him, in the hopes of nursing him back to health? Did he cooperate after that?”

“More or less, though he always was a stubborn man. Weren’t you, Vaughn?” she said, a half smile curving into the corners of her mouth.

“Reckon so. No more’n _you_ , though,” he said with a grin as he leaned farther back and closed his eyes. “As I recall….”

* * *

 

When he woke up in the morning and sat up to look around, Rio was gone. She’d built the fire up again, and he could see a pot simmering on the stove and smelled the comforting fragrance of simmering rice. He tried to stand, but he immediately felt dizzy and quickly sat back down. He started coughing again, wincing at the pain stabbing into his chest and grating on his throat. Just then, the front door opened and Rio stepped in.

“You’re awake,” she observed as she went straight to the kitchen. Her cabin was a small, one-room affair, so he could see her as she stood on tip-toe to pull a bottle off a shelf. She poured some of the amber liquid into a small glass, added a spoonful of honey, then pulled a container from the fridge. She took out a wedge of lemon and squeezed the juice into the glass, mixing it all together before bringing it to him. “Here, drink this,” she said, handing the glass to him. He tossed it back, choking from the shock of pain on his throat. It only lasted a moment, though, and soon he began to feel more comfortable as the whiskey numbed the pain.

“Thanks,” he rasped as he handed her the glass.

She took the glass and returned to the kitchen, where she washed and dried it, setting it aside in case of another coughing fit. After that, she took the rice from the stove and stirred in milk, spices, and sugar to make a creamy porridge. She ladled up a bowlful and poured a glass of juice, then brought them to him and took a seat in the chair by the bed, watching as she waited for him to eat.

He took a bite of porridge, then looked over at her watching him in silence. He took a second bite, then set the bowl down on the bedside table and scowled at her. “ _What_?” he growled. She looked surprised, but didn’t reply. “Don’t stare at me. You’re makin’ me lose my appetite,” he grumbled, picking his bowl back up.

Shock and disbelief flickered across her face, and she abruptly stood up. Snatching her coat from the peg by the door, she glanced back at him, tears in her angry eyes. “Sorry I make you _physically ill_. I’ll go away so you can eat in the pleasure of your own company.” Then she flung herself out the door, leaving him sitting in bed, startled, with the spoon frozen halfway to his mouth.

Setting the bowl back on the table, he hastily pulled his boots on and chased after her, shouting, “Rio! _Wait_!” He could see her up ahead of him, crossing the bridge to Verdure Island, her heavy boots pounding a staccato beat as she half-walked, half-ran across the planks. Either she didn’t hear him or else she was ignoring him, because her pace didn’t slow as he reached the bridge. Shivering with the cold, he started to step onto the bridge when another fit of coughing doubled him over.

She heard that, at least, and turned around. Running back across the bridge, she grabbed him and hauled him back to his feet, pulling him back into her house. “You _promised_!” she berated him, slamming the door closed and rounding on him, her eyes flashing.

He dropped down on the edge of the bed, feeling dizzy and breathless. “I was trying to catch you,” he muttered as soon as he’d recovered some of his breath.

“I don’t know _why_ , if you find me so goddessdamned _repulsive_ that you can’t even eat with me around,” she snapped, stomping into her kitchen to mix up another shot of whiskey with lemon and honey. “And that doesn’t change the fact that you _promised_ you’d stay put ‘til you were better!”

Scowling, he stood and strode over to her. “It’s not like that at all, Rio. I… I just get uncomfortable when you stare at me.”

“Right,” she snapped, squeezing the lemon into the glass and giving it a final stir. “That sure explains why you’ve been avoiding me and acting like you can’t stand to be near me.” She turned and handed him the glass. He stared for her a moment before taking the glass. Her cornflower eyes were glistening with tears, and though her face was furious, he saw hurt there, too, and saw that her lip trembled despite its frown. He set the glass down, untouched, and looked at her for a moment.

“Rio, I… I’m sorry. I’ve been avoiding you because… well, you already said you don’t remember that night we were drinking on Meadow Island, right?”

She nodded, biting her lip a little and looking down at the floor. He reached over and tilted her chin up, looking into her face. “Then… you don’t remember kissing me?”

Her eyes widened and her cheeks turned scarlet. “I _what_? No! I… I didn’t really… d-did I?” She looked away again, whispering, “So that’s why… I-I’m sorry, Vaughn. I guess that explains why you’ve been avoiding me. If you didn’t think much of me before, you must _really_ despise me now. No wonder you don’t even want me near you.”

She started to walk slowly towards the door, her cheeks still bright red, but he caught her hand and refused to let her go. “ _No_ , Rio, that’s not it, either.”

Looking at him in confusion, she said, “But then, why—”

“Because ever since that night, I’ve been wanting to do _this_ ,” he said, and he pulled her close to him and kissed her, pressing his lips to hers as a sudden warmth unfolded inside his chest and spread all through him, thawing him from the inside out.

* * *

 

“Ohhh!” Felicity sighed, leaning against Rod’s knee, “that’s so romantic!”

“Darling, how could you ever think _anyone_ would be repulsed by _you_? You’re absolutely _perfect_!” Allen chided her, though he was smiling in amusement as he shook his head at her.

Rod leaned down and tossed a couple of logs onto the fire, and Amir looked at Rio and Vaughn curiously. “Were you not concerned that you might infect Miss Rio, kissing her while you were ill?”

Vaughn grinned and looked over at the exotic young man. “Naw, I gotta admit, it wasn’t exactly the _first_ thing on my mind at the time.”

Rod guffawed and Allen snickered. Tina clapped her hands, saying, “Then… did you two… you know, did you….”

Allen rolled his eyes and reached over to pat her on the head. Looking at Vaughn, he said, “She wants to know if you had sex.”

Rio choked on her beer, and Iroha thumped her back as she sputtered and coughed. Vaughn stared at him, then chuckled. “Well, the little lady gets right to the point, doesn’t she? No, we did _not_ —not then, anyway. But that was how it all started with us.”

Iroha looked at him speculatively. “That may have been the beginning, but then, what was the end? Since clearly you two are no longer together.”

Rio looked up at her friend sharply, suspecting where she was going—given certain private conversations the two had shared over the years. She said, “My Mama once told me that the kindest word ever spoken was the _un_ kind word left _un_ spoken. And that’s all I’m going to say about _that_.”

Vaughn tugged his hat back down over his brow and stared into the fire. “That’s generous of you, Rio—you always had a good heart. But I’ve gotta be fair.”

He leaned forward and grabbed another beer, twisting it open and taking a long pull. After a moment of thought, he said, “The things I did… all the _shit_ I put you through… those were the biggest mistakes of my life. Everything I did that drove you away…. Well, I wish I could take it all back, make it like it never happened. But as the saying goes, ‘If wishes were horses…’.”

“‘Beggars would ride’,” Rio finished, softly. She shook her head slightly and frowned at her half-empty bottle before taking another swallow. “Well, Vaughn—”

“I know,” he interrupted. “I blew it. I had the golden opportunity of a lifetime with you, and I threw it all away.” He took another long pull at his beer, then slowly swirled it around as he stared ahead of him.

“Well, what _happened_?” Felicity asked, her eyes shining with eager anticipation.

Vaughn chugged the rest of his bottle and stood up abruptly, dropping it back into the case with the other empty bottles. Then he strode towards the river, nothing more than a shadow at the edge of the flickering firelight. They could see him stoop to pick something up and then throw it with all his might. They heard a plopping sound—a stone dropping into the river. He threw several more stones into the rushing waters, then he stood there, head bowed and shoulders hunched, for several minutes before slowly returning to the fire.

He pulled out another bottle and opened it, and downed a third of it all at once before sitting back down on the log. He pulled his hat a little lower and sat with his forearms resting on his thighs, staring down at the ground between his boots. Finally he looked up, first at Felicity, then turning his gaze to each of them in turn before it finally settled on Rio, who sat staring into the fire.

With a sigh, he said, “I got scared, that’s what happened. I got scared, and I did things I shouldn’t have done.”

“What kinds of things?” Tina asked, breathlessly.

“I… well, I took her for granted, for one. I was reluctant to commit to her, afraid….” He took a deep breath. “Afraid she’d wake up one morning and realize she was saddled with an old man, and her still young and so full of life herself. That she’d move on to someone else—someone… someone younger. I was well aware that there were plenty of other men in the islands nearer her age who had their eyes on her. So I pushed her away. I… I cheated on her, that’s what I did. Fooled around with other girls while I was at work on the mainland. Just because I was afraid to take that last step. I’m sorry, Rio. You deserved better than what I gave you, than what I could offer you—I always _knew_ you did.”

She looked up at him, her eyes sparking with suppressed anger. “That’s _not_ what you told me after you found me,” she said, taking another swig of beer as she watched him, her eyes narrowed.

“I know. Even then… _even then_ , I couldn’t admit to it—couldn’t admit what a scared little fool I’d been. I guess reminiscing about the past— _our_ past—made me realize that I had to come clean, that I owed you _that_ much at least.”

Iroha looked at him, tapping a finger thoughtfully against her cheekbone. “So… now you’re here, and Rio has moved on and found someone else. What happens next?”

Vaughn finished his beer in one long swig. He looked at Iroha first, then over at Rio. Then he said, “Well, now, that’s the _real_ question, isn’t it?”


	11. Patience

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm taking some time off for the holidays and to recharge (read: catch up on my games!), and I won't be posting in the meanwhile. The next chapter should be posted no later than Wednesday, April 22. Thanks for reading, and I hope you're enjoying the story so far!

When Vaughn arrived at the farmhouse early Friday morning, there was no answer to his knock. The door was unlocked, though, so he opened it and peered inside. No sign of Rio, but the house smelled like freshly baked something and coffee. On the counter was a large muffin and a note, asking him to turn off the coffee maker when he was done and reminding him that everyone was meeting at the river at ten so don’t be late—if he ran short on time, some of his chores could wait until evening. He sighed in disappointment at missing her, but grabbed the muffin and some coffee and headed for the barn to start on his morning’s chores.

The bonfire party had broken up shortly after he’d finished his reminiscences, including owning up to the wrongs that he had yet to make right. Afterwards, she alone had kept quiet as they walked back to town en masse, only waving and calling out a general farewell as she broke away from the group at the head of her driveway. Iroha had left the group then, too, going in the opposite direction from Rio. But Vaughn had watched her hesitating before turning up the road towards her house, looking after Rio with concern on her face. And he, too, wondered if he should follow her or let her go.

He chose to do the latter.

But he’d also counted on seeing her this morning, had even arrived a little early in the hopes of catching her before she started her day’s work. It just didn’t work out that way.

Cramming the last bite of still-warm muffin into his mouth, he grabbed an armload of hay and got down to business. At least there was the ride to look forward to in a few hours….

However, he’d entirely forgotten that he’d agreed—however reluctantly—to tutor Tina in the art of horsemanship. As he gruffly instructed her on the proper way to mount her quiet horse—an older roan mare borrowed from Rod—he watched with a scowl as Rio and Neil both swung expertly into their saddles and started off, evidently engaging in a spirited race while _he_ was stuck behind, showing the giggling, jittery redhead the ropes, so to speak.

* * *

 

“Ha! I win!” Neil shouted, looking back over his shoulder triumphantly as Rio raced up behind him on her grey mare.

Laughing, she said, “Only because Sahara _let_ Jack win!” She pulled up her mare up alongside his black gelding, grinning into his smiling face.

“Yeah, she probably did,” he admitted. “She’s way faster than Jack, and you’re a terrific horsewoman.”

She blushed at the compliment, and leaned over to give him a kiss.

“H-hey! What’s _that_ for?” he stammered, turning red.

“Oh, I dunno—your prize, I guess? Or maybe just because I like you,” she teased.

“Yeah, well, you _know_ how I feel about that kind of stuff in public,” Neil grumbled, dismounting and walking over to give her a hand down. She slipped down next to him and looked up at him, a wistful look dimming her bright blue eyes. Neil frowned, saying, “What? What’s wrong?”

She sighed and turned to her mare, removing her bridle and fastening a lead rope to her halter. “Nothing. I just wish….” She stopped and led her mare a little farther from the path, tying her rope to a tree within reach of the lake.

Neil likewise haltered his gelding and tied him to a nearby tree. “You wish what?” he asked, looking at her curiously.

“I wish you weren’t so… so _shy_. I hate it when you push me away. It makes me feel like you’re embarrassed to be with me. And that makes me unhappy.”

“You know it’s not _that_ ,” he replied, flushing. “I’m just… it just makes me uncomfortable. It feels… _weird_ doing private stuff where others can see us.”

“So you’d rather we act like total strangers in public and save the madly passionate makeouts for private?” she asked, drily.

He opened his mouth to reply, but just then Rod and Felicity came up the path at a brisk trot. “Hey, you guys! You two were sure in a big hurry to get up here all by yourselves!” Rod called up to them with a grin.

Neil snorted and turned his back, pulling Rio along with him to the peak above the lake. “If he thought that, why was he in such a hurry to interrupt us?” Neil muttered in a low voice to Rio.

“Probably because he knew there wouldn’t be anything _to_ interrupt,” she sighed, dropping down onto the grass and looking out across the valley below. She sighed again and plucked a few blades of grass, letting the breeze catch them from her fingertips and blow them away.

Neil frowned down at her. He really _did_ love her—more than she realized, more than even he dared admit to himself. However, long years of holding everything in, of hiding any sign of weakness, made it nearly impossible for him to show his true feelings. _Nearly_ impossible, not _entirely_. But deep down, some part of him knew that, with Rio, all that might finally have a chance to change.

In the meantime, though, he hated when he did or said things that hurt her or dampened her spirit. She was so full of joie-de-vivre—or had been, until recent events—that he felt guilty when his inhibitions and sour attitude deprived her of any of the delight she found in living.

He sat down on the grass beside her, and after a slight hesitation, he lightly draped his arm around her shoulders. She looked up at him, startled by the gesture, and sat perfectly still, almost afraid to breathe, as if any movement on her part might cause him to retreat into his shell again. Then, conscious of her apprehension, he pulled her closer until her head was resting against his shoulder. She sighed and leaned into him then, feeling at ease for the first time in days. He rested his cheek against her hair, and slowly some of the customary tension drained from his muscles as they gazed across the verdant panorama stretching out before them in comfortable silence.

* * *

 

Vaughn rubbed his forehead in irritation. How could anyone be so… _inept_? It had taken him a good twenty minutes just to get her up into the saddle, and then she’d begun to panic in earnest. Thinking of Rio’s easy grace both in the saddle and out, he groaned to himself. _This_ girl was all thumbs and left feet and elbows and knees.

“Okay, just hold on,” he sighed, reaching over to grab her horse’s bridle. Thank goddess this mare was so calm, he thought as Tina squealed again. “Look, she’s barely moving. Just relax. If you’re tense, you’ll frighten her, too.”

“B-b-but what if she runs away?” Tina stammered, her eyes wide and round with fear. _Goddess_ , was she serious? Why did she want to learn to ride a horse anyway, if she was so scared of them?

Rod hadn’t had nearly as much trouble with Felicity. She’d been nervous at the height of her mount and the feel of all that powerful muscle moving beneath her. But she _trusted_ Rod—and that made a huge difference. Tina didn’t know him well enough to trust him, and he realized that. Still, anyone with an ounce of sense could see that this quiet old mare was no more likely to bolt than that old lady who ran the little general store.

Too bad Tina didn’t have an ounce of sense, he thought in disgust.

Tapping reserves of patience he’d never known he possessed, he said calmly, “All right. Just… just _try_ to trust me. I promise she’s not gonna run away. Look, I’ll take her reins and lead her, okay? You just… just sit there and try to get used to the feel of being in the saddle. Okay? Think you can do that? And try to relax. I’ve got her now, you’re safe. I won’t let her hurt you.”

Tina nodded and clutched the pommel of her saddle, her shoulders rigid with fright. She made a visible effort to relax, to force the tension from her arms and legs and spine. It just wasn’t happening.

At least now they could finally try to catch up to the others, he thought, looking up at the sun as it reached its apex. They still hadn’t even made it over the bridge that led to the field where they’d had that bonfire last night.

Which led him back to thinking of Rio once again. Like so many things did….

Pushing thoughts of her aside to focus on the task at hand, he carefully led Tina’s mare across the bridge. She was a patient creature and followed his lead, ears swiveling to catch his gentle voice over the roar of the nearby falls as he guided her along the suspension bridge across the river. On the far side, he stopped and looked back at Tina. Her face was pale, almost sickly. “You okay back there?” he asked, frowning.

“N-n-not really,” she stammered. “I… I thought I was going to faint for a minute there.”

Pushing his hat back, he just stared at her. After a moment, he said, “Tell me _why_ you wanted to learn to ride a horse?”

“I-I… I thought it would be _fun_ ,” she wailed, tears welling up in her eyes. “I mean, Rio and Neil always look like they’re having such a good time when they go riding together. But it’s _not_! It’s _awful_! I’m scared to _death_!”

He sighed. “You wanna call it quits, then?”

She hesitated just for a moment, reluctant to quit, but too truly terrified to go on. Her cheeks reddening with embarrassment, she nodded, a tear trickling down her cheek as she bit her lip, ashamed of her weakness.

Vaughn softened—after all, she couldn’t really _help_ being scared. It was silly, of course, but not her fault. Some people were just scared of things for no reason. “All right. I’ll help you down. Think you can lead her the rest of the way?”

“I… I’ll try. What if she steps on me, though?”

“As long as you keep to her side, not directly in front of her or behind her, you’ll be fine.” He swung down and walked over to her, then helped her slide down—even more awkwardly than she’d mounted in the first place. She was trembling so hard she could hardly stand, though, so he stayed there for a moment, letting her hold on to him for support until she calmed down.

“All right?” he asked, once she’d steadied herself. She nodded, and he handed the reins to her. “Here, just stay close, okay? If you get too scared, speak up.”

She nodded, her face still flushed with lingering embarrassment, and Vaughn mounted his gelding and started up the path at a slow walk. Tina started, too, but the mare had spotted the lush grass of the field ahead and was reluctant to turn away from it. “Vaughn!” she squeaked, tugging at the mare’s reins and looking almost paralyzed with fright.

He sighed and turned his horse back. “Okay, don’t worry about it. Just hand me the reins. You run on ahead, and we’ll come along behind.”

She looked so relieved as she handed him the reins and hurried on ahead up the trail that again he shook his head—maybe she couldn’t help her fear, but he sure as hell couldn’t understand it.

He led the mare up the trail to the peak, arriving shortly behind Tina. He fastened their horses’ lead ropes to their halters and tied them up to graze by the lake, then clambered the rest of the way up the trail to the peak. He frowned as he looked up and saw Rio nestled up against Neil, their backs to him, just sitting quietly looking out across the valley below.

Tina called out to him as he approached, her good humor already restored. Both Rio and Neil turned to look his direction, Neil instinctively tightening his hold on Rio. The two men scowled at each other, staring each other down, then Felicity called out, “Let’s eat already! I’m _famished_!”

“Of course you are—you’re _always_ hungry!” Rio said, laughing as the tension dissipated for the moment. Neil stood up with a sigh and looked down at her with a half smile before holding his hand out to her to pull her up.

They picnicked there on the mountain peak, enjoying the beautiful summer afternoon. Tina joked and laughed and clowned for the amusement of the others, with Rod coming in a close second for goofiness. Rio and Felicity giggled at their antics, and although Neil rolled his eyes, he did so with the ghost of a smile in the corners of his mouth. And although he was feeling out of sorts after his difficulties with Tina and from seeing how closely Neil stuck to Rio—practically _glued_ to her, he quietly fumed to himself—even Vaughn couldn’t help smiling now and again. Something about the fresh mountain air, the breathtaking views, the entertaining company, and the delicious food had a beneficial effect on all of them.

As they sat around on the warm, soft grass after their meal, Vaughn glanced over at Rio and asked, “So what’s this ‘Critter Festival’ you mentioned? Is it some kind of animal show?”

Rio grinned and said, “Nope, even better! It’s a four day long bug-catching festival!”

“ _Bug-catching_?” Vaughn exclaimed in disbelief, pushing his hat back and looking astonished.

“Yep. Well, bugs _and_ frogs—if it rains enough for any frogs to show up, that is. Doesn’t seem likely, though, given the weather we’ve had lately.”

Hearing strangled groans from both Tina and Felicity, he turned to look at them. “You ladies don’t like bugs, I take it?”

They looked at each other, then Tina said, “It’s not the bugs so much… well, except bees—I can’t _stand_ bees! It’s the… the….”

“ _Frogs_!” Felicity wailed, and both girls shuddered in revulsion.

Rod threw his head back and laughed as he pulled her closer to him, so that she was sitting on his lap with his arms around her. “Don’t worry, Lissie,” he said with a grin, “I’ll protect you from the icky, scary froggies!”

“Frogs?” Vaughn asked, looking even more astonished. “You ladies are afraid of _frogs_?”

“They’re so _slimy_!” Tina exclaimed.

“And they… they _squirm_!” Felicity added.

Vaughn looked over at Rio. “And you? _You_ aren’t scared of frogs, are you?” He’d never noticed it if she _was_ , but there hadn’t been all that many frogs on the islands, either.

Rio laughed heartily. “No, Vaughn, frogs don’t scare me at all. I _love_ the Critter Festival! It’s a lot of work, trying to get through my chores quickly enough to have time to go bug hunting, but I love doing it. For _four whole days_ I get to act like a kid again! Running around all over the mountain, chasing and catching bugs and frogs to my heart’s content, and _no one_ —not even Klaus—tells me to ‘act my age’!”

“Yeah, well, just be careful,” Neil said, looking at her with an amused smile. “It’d be just like you to not pay attention to where you were going and fall right into the river or something.”

“Then I guess you’ll just have to stay close to me so you can pull me back out,” Rio grinned at him.

He snorted. “Yeah, right. You’d probably just pull me in after you.”

“Damn straight!” Rio laughed, her eyes dancing merrily.

Rod chuckled. “I bet you were a real tomboy when you were a kid, weren’t you, Rio?”

She sobered up then as she looked over at him. After a moment, she said, “Actually, no, I wasn’t. I was very much a girly-girl growing up. When I was little, my Daddy called me ‘Mama’s shadow’ because I went everywhere she went, did everything she did. When I was a little older, my Daddy insisted I get into some sports or other activities, because he felt it was necessary to build a strong, healthy body. So I learned to ride horses, and I also learned archery and took dance lessons. But I was still a girly-girl clear through high school.”

“What happened, then?” Felicity asked, curiously.

Rio didn’t answer right away, just sat staring at a small white blossom she’d plucked from a nearby patch of clover as she tore the tiny individual flowers from the stem, one by one, scattering them in the wind. After she tossed the denuded stem aside, she looked up at the sky. “Oh, it’s getting late,” she exclaimed. “We should start packing up.”

“Rio?” Felicity said gently. “Are you okay? What happened? What changed you?”

She sighed and stood up, brushing the grass from her legs and backside. She looked at Felicity, her blue eyes deep and dark with unspoken regrets, and said, “The day my parents died, Lissie, _everything_ changed.” Then she hoisted her pack over her shoulder and headed back down to the horses, Neil following close behind.


	12. Competition

“On your marks, get set… GO!” Dunhill shouted from the podium in the festival grounds. Shrieking with glee, the three young children of the village bolted out of the grounds, followed closely by Rio, Rod, and Tina. The rest of the younger adults followed at a brisk walk, while the older adults trailed at a more sedate pace.

Vaughn had finished up his chores without catching sight of Rio, but he’d spotted her immediately when he arrived at the festival grounds for the start of this so-called ‘Critter Festival’. She was standing front and center, and even from behind he could sense her excitement. That didn’t really surprise him—what did surprise him was that Neil was nowhere near her. Instead, the golden-haired young man was hanging around at the back of the crowd with goofy Rod and stylish Allen. They seemed like such unlikely companions for him, that Vaughn just stared for a moment before recollecting himself and looking away. He moved over to one side of the crowd, near enough to see Rio and to hear the announcement, but still separate from the others.

He was glad afterwards that he had kept to the side, when he saw the way those kids tore out of the grounds like they had jet-packs strapped to their backs. Toni was shouting that this year he was “gonna win _for sure_ ” while a pretty little blonde girl screeched after him that no, he was _not_. Niko stumbled along after them, scanning the ground for grasshoppers and beetles as they all headed towards the river.

Rio had started off after them immediately, but paused when Iroha had called out to her. They spoke for a moment, then both laughed as Rio shook her head vigorously before turning to dart off towards the mountain, choosing the opposite direction of the children. Rod had raced off before her, but with her long legs and athletic build, she quickly overtook him, leaving him to follow with laughing protests, Tina close on his heels.

Sauntering slowly through the gates, Vaughn watched Neil as he trudged after Rio. His body language betrayed his complete lack of interest, but he seemed determined to follow her anyway. Whether his intent was to spend time with her, keep her out of trouble, or keep him away—or all three, perhaps—Vaughn couldn’t tell. He hesitated at the gate, then turned to the east and followed the road out of town towards the river. He passed Iroha, Felicity, and Allen all chatting a short ways down the road, near Iroha’s house and smithy. Felicity called out a cheerful greeting, Iroha and Allen following suit as they turned to look after him. He tipped his hat at them, then continued on his way.

He looked around as he strolled out of town on the dirt road, passing over the small stone bridge that crossed the river and turning to follow the river’s course. He could see the three children darting around, trying to catch insects as they headed up the mountain. The light breeze carried their laughter and shouts down to him, and he smiled to himself. Selecting a shady tree near the river, he sat on the grass and prepared himself to wait for Rio to come back down the mountain.

The children disappeared from sight, and the only sound was the droning of the cicadas and the rushing of the nearby river. It was a hot day, and to his annoyance, Vaughn realized that he’d left his water bottle behind at the farm. Looking around and seeing no one in sight, he removed his hat, pulled his vest and shirt off, and removed his gloves. Then he ambled down to the edge of the river and scooped up water in his hands to drink. The water was cool, bordering on tepid there in the shallows where he knelt.

After a few drinks, he felt a little cooler, and still kneeling at the water’s edge as he wiped the drips from his chin with his arm, he looked around a little more closely at the scenery around him. The stream was shallow along either bank, but deeper along the center. The water was so clear, he could see several species of fish as they swam by, and freshwater crayfish creeping along the rocky bottom. Rocks and makeshift wooden bridges here and there provided a means of crossing to the far side. On either side of the meadow, massive boulders and sloping hills rose to create a sort of dale through which both the stream and the dirt road passed. A dense forest of mixed evergreens and broadleaf trees surrounded the meadows and covered the hills and mountains, and a few large oaks still dotted the grassy meadows.

“Guess Rio picked herself a right pretty place to settle down,” he said aloud, looking up at the wide expanse of azure sky above.

“ _We_ like it,” a voice said, so near behind him that he sprang up, startled, and tripping on a stone, fell backwards towards the stream.

Iroha darted forward and grasped his forearm, much to his dismay, as he was certain he’d only pull her in after him. But to his surprise, she was strong— _very_ strong—and easily pulled him back up the slight embankment to the grassy field.

“Sorry,” she said apologetically as she released him, though there was the ghost of a smile dimpling the corner of her mouth and reflected in her nearly black eyes.

“You, uh, caught me by surprise,” he said, slightly flushed as he turned to pick up his hat and shirt. “Didn’t hear you coming over the noise of the river, I guess.”

He turned and caught her staring intently at him. “Where’d those scars come from?” she asked.

Hastily tugging his vest on to cover his side, he shrugged. “Don’t reckon it’s any of your concern,” he growled as he pulled his hat on and low over his eyes. He stalked back over to his chosen tree and dropped his shirt and gloves down. Then he sat and leaned back against the broad trunk, closing his eyes and hoping she’d leave.

However, she followed and sat nearby, sharing his shade. “No, it isn’t,” she agreed, and he tipped his hat up to peer at her suspiciously. She was just sitting on a rock, though, looking calm and collected and waiting for him to make a move, as if they were playing a game of chess.

Snorting, he dropped his hat back down and proceeded to ignore her. She remained seated, though, clearly in no hurry to leave. After several minutes, he again looked over at her. “Don’t you have some butterflies to chase or somethin’?” he asked her in exasperation.

“Not really,” she said in the same quietly amiable voice. “I am not very fond of insects.”

“Scared?” he asked, curiously.

“No, just not to my taste. Rio gave me a pet cricket shortly after I moved here, for good luck. I kept him, more for the sake of her friendship than anything. But other than that, I usually avoid contact with things that have more than two legs. Animals included.”

He grunted as he again dropped the hat down over his brow. After a few more minutes, he said, without looking at her this time, “Barbed wire.” At her startled exclamation, he added, “I got my first job working with livestock when I was real young, just fourteen. I didn’t have any experience back then, just an interest in animals and an urgent need for money. Bull caught me by surprise and knocked me off my feet and into a fence.” Waving away her distressed sympathy, he said, “Don’t worry about it. It could’ve been worse. At least he’d been polled. If he’d still had had his horns, I’d likely have been killed. And he was just doin’ what bulls do—can’t blame him for that.”

“I… I suppose not,” she said, a little doubtfully, watching him thoughtfully. “Fourteen… that seems awfully young for that kind of work.”

“You do what you gotta do,” he replied tersely, “whether you like it or not.”

Nodding in agreement, Iroha glanced up the mountain path just as a peal of laughter—Rio’s laughter—reached them, wind-borne. She resumed watching Vaughn as he sat up, tipping his hat back as he looked for her eagerly. Soon they both saw her, darting and dashing and leaping agilely as she chased this or that insect. Neil trudged along behind her, carrying a large jar tucked into his arm, his hands thrust into his coat pockets. She evidently caught some hapless creature, because she gave an excited little hop as he pulled out the jar and removed the lid carefully as he held it out to her. She clapped her hands over it, then he replaced the lid and again tucked it into his arm. She peered at the jar for a second, then something else caught her eye and she was off.

Iroha smiled at her lively antics, and Vaughn chuckled, a deep, low chuckle. “Well, she hasn’t changed much since she came here,” he said to himself, forgetting for a moment that he wasn’t alone.

Still watching her friend haphazardly make her way down the hills towards them, Iroha mused, “Oh, but she has, Vaughn. She’s changed quite a bit.”

Startled, he glanced over at her. “How so? She seems the same to me, more or less anyway.”

Smoothing an imaginary wrinkle from her pants, Iroha looked down at him with a grave expression in her eyes. “I arrived here in Echo Village only a short while after Rio herself did. My first impression of her was of someone who was happy, friendly, carefree, and full of life.”

Vaughn nodded, saying, “Yep, that sounds about right.”

Raising a hand to silence him, she continued. “But before long, I learned it was a façade. She was miserable, Vaughn. So very unhappy. But she hid it away—hid _all_ her troubles away—from everyone in the village. I think Hana _might_ have suspected, but no one else had any idea. Even I had no clue… until I came across her one day in the forest, crying her eyes out.”

“Rio? Crying? What happened?” Vaughn said, his brow furrowed.

Iroha stared down into his eyes, the intensity of her gaze making him shift uncomfortably. At last, she said, “ _You_ happened, Vaughn. She didn’t tell me right then—our friendship was as yet too new for such personal confidences at that time. But it was _you_ all the same. She was so badly hurt—it was like a raw, bleeding wound in her spirit. She’d left all she loved behind to escape the pain that you caused her, and she felt so alone and hopeless here among strangers, kindly though they were.” She looked up at Rio as she reached the edge of the meadow, chasing a darting dragonfly and laughing with joy. She sighed, and went on, Vaughn watching her as if mesmerized. “I _know_ there’s more she hasn’t told me, and I won’t pry. She knows that she can tell me anything anytime, whenever she is ready to do so.”

She looked back down at Vaughn, and he was startled by the ferocity of her gaze. “But I will tell you this. Rio was _happy_. She had finally recovered from all that you put her through and begun to take joy in life again. And she and Neil are… well, they’re good for each other, even if they still have a ways to go. They help each other—heal each other.”

Iroha stood up and glanced at her friend darting around the meadow and back at Vaughn again. “She was happy,” she repeated, “until _you_ arrived. You said a few minutes ago that you do what you have to do, whether you like it or not. Well, Vaughn, if you love her as much as you say you do… if you have even one ounce of consideration for her happiness and well-being… you’ll pack up and leave. _Today_. Your presence alone has thrown her into confusion. It’s upsetting her, disrupting her life, and affecting her relationship with Neil. So do the right thing, Vaughn, and go. Now, before you have the chance to hurt her yet again.”

With that, she turned and headed back towards the village, waving to Rio as she left, while Vaughn stared after her, lost in thought as a faint smile curved into the corners of his mouth.


	13. Love

“And with an incredible collection of 216 critters, the winner of this year’s Critter Festival is… Rio!” Dunhill grinned broadly as she squeezed through the crowd to stand at the front with the runners-up. He shook her hand and picked up a small crate next to him. Passing it to her, he announced that her prize was a supply of Hana’s famous homemade peach jam.

Next to Rio, Toni glowered. “It’s not fair!” he exclaimed after the awards were over. “You’re bigger’n me! How am I supposed to beat you? You _always_ win!”

Rio smiled at the boy next to her and ruffled his hair. “Hey, you did great!” she exclaimed as he pulled away from her, annoyed. “You came in second—that’s pretty amazing for a kid. You even did better than Rod! Just wait ‘til you get a little bigger. I won’t stand a chance against you!”

He brightened up at that. “Hey, yeah, that’s right! ‘Cause I’m so good at it now, all I need is to get a little taller! How do I do that, though?” he asked, puzzled, as he looked up at her with a worried frown.

“Well, it would help you grow if you ate more veggies,” Rio said, putting on a serious, thoughtful expression.

“Vegetables? Really? _Gross_! But if it’ll help me get bigger…. Hey, Mom! Can you make salad for dinner?” he shouted as he ran off towards his startled mother.

Rio threw her head back and laughed, as both Vaughn and Neil admired her deft handling of the tempestuous child—Vaughn from a distance and in his thoughts, and Neil to her face as he joined her.

Neil liked the kid okay, most of the time anyway. He had spirit, that was for sure. But he was clever and quick, and all too often bored in the quiet, small village. That frequently resulted in him getting into mischief, but he wasn’t really a _bad_ kid. Just… kind of annoying at times. But Rio never seemed to be bothered by him or the other kids in town.

Rio smiled up at him as he stopped beside her and tucked her hand into his arm. “Hey, nice job,” he said. “You really caught a lot of bugs this year. When did you find the time?”

She laughed again as she replied, “Well, lucky for me there are insects flying out and about at night as well as all day! As soon as I finished my day’s work, I’d be off running around looking for critters to catch. It made a big difference, too, having Vaughn to help around the farm. He even took on some extra work so I’d have more free time. Said he didn’t care much about catching bugs anyway.”

An irritated looked passed over Neil’s face, and he followed her gaze as she turned and waved to the cowboy standing some ways behind them, leaning with his back against a corner of the livestock barn along one side of the grounds. He tipped his hat in response to Rio’s gesture, but to Neil’s relief, he didn’t move to join them.

As usual, Rio made the rounds, chatting with all the villagers and many of the tourists from out of town. When she approached the group of women that included Camellia, she could sense the elegant woman’s discomfort even from a distance. Conscious both of her fear of insects and of her internal struggle between that fear and her desire to be courteous, Rio simply smiled at her and held up her hand, saying, “No, it’s fine, Camellia. I’ve been catching bugs all morning, and I know how much they bother you.”

The other woman looked relieved and grateful, though she shuddered at the idea. “So very many insects,” she said, shaking her head. “I don’t know how you can do it.”

Sensing Neil’s rising impatience—he thought Camellia stuck-up and priggish and had little patience with her—she smiled again at her and led him away from the women and towards Hossan and Clement. The two men brightened at her approach, calling out congratulations to her as she drew near.

“Rio, that was very impressive! If, err, perhaps a trifle disgusting,” Clement exclaimed, looking slightly askance at her, as though he half expected a bug to leap out of her hair at him or something.

Neil snorted, but Rio grinned at him. “Thanks, Clement! It was so much fun, I love this festival! It’s definitely one of my favorites!”

“Well, hopefully the Cooking Festival is another favorite,” he chuckled. “I trust you intend to compete again this year? Your stew last year was an utter delight!”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world! What’s the theme this year? I missed the announcement,” Rio smiled.

“Ahh, yes. This year, I’m judging breads, pasta dishes, and rice dishes. I can hardly wait to taste your entry! What will it be, I wonder? A lovely, creamy risotto perhaps? Pasta with a savory mushroom sauce?” His eyes shone as he considered the possibilities.

“I vote for Pasta alla Genovese, myself,” Allen called as he joined them.

“Nah, gotta be a lasagna! The best food _ever_!” Rod exclaimed as he trotted up behind Allen.

Vaughn, who’d been near enough to overhear the conversation, sauntered over. “Well, _my_ vote is for rice porridge. Simple, homey food, and you make the best, Rio.”

“Dunno about that old lady food,” Neil spoke, glaring at Vaughn, who scowled at the insult, “but you make pretty good fried rice.”

Rio looked in bewilderment from the chef to the other men gathering around her, clamoring for their favorites. Then she started to laugh and laugh. “Hold your horses!” she gasped breathlessly. “I feel like a waitress during rush hour!” She shook her head ruefully as she caught her breath, still chuckling. “I already know what I’m going to bring, _and_ ,” she added, holding up a hand to stop the inquiries on everyone’s tongues before they started, “I’m not telling anybody what it will be ahead of time. So just give it up. My lips are sealed!”

“Maybe Neil could _un_ -seal them,” Rod suggested mischievously.

“Fuck off,” Neil snapped, his cheeks reddening as he glared at him.

Looking over the tops of his glasses at Neil, then at Rio, Allen smirked and commented breezily, “Well, that’s not a problem. I’m sure if _Neil_ has no interest in un-sealing Rio’s lips, Vaughn would be happy to rise to the occasion.”

Vaughn tipped his hat back, a slow grin spreading across his face. “Reckon I could be persuaded to lend a hand.”

Neil moved as if to lunge at Vaughn, but Rio grabbed hold of his arm. “No, you _couldn’t_ ,” Rio snapped, glaring angrily at him, then at Allen. “Enough already! You’ll have to wait until Friday, all of you.” Then she turned and stalked off, pulling Neil along behind her as he continued to look back over his shoulder, glaring at the grinning men behind him.

“She’s so fun to tease,” Allen chuckled as he watched them leave.

“She’s always been easy to rile up,” Vaughn agreed, then he, too, departed the grounds.

Just outside the festival grounds, standing by the gate to her backyard, Iroha waited for him, a frown of disapproval on her serious face.

“You chose not to take my advice,” she stated, flatly.

“Looks that way,” he agreed.

“Don’t you… don’t you _care_ about her?” she exclaimed, finally exasperated.

“More than you’ll ever know, little lady. You see, instead of scaring me off, you gave me fresh hope. I was just about ready to give up and go home, she seemed so set. But from what you say, it looks like maybe she _does_ still feel somethin’ for me, even if she can’t or won’t admit to it. If she didn’t, she wouldn’t be all torn up just from my being here. So maybe I still have a chance with her after all.”

He tipped his hat back and looked down into her disbelieving eyes. “Love ain’t pretty, missy. Life is ugly and painful from time to time. But anything worth having is worth fighting for. If I’m not willing to fight for her with all I’ve got, I sure as hell don’t deserve her, no matter what. And that goes for that kid, Neil, too.” And with that, he turned and strolled off, leaving Iroha standing open-mouthed at her doorstep.

* * *

 

“By the way,” Vaughn said, wiping the sweat from his brow as he stepped through the door at midday, “I got a letter from Mirabelle this mornin’. Not sure exactly when it arrived, since Tina wasn’t delivering mail during the bug festival. She gave it to me on my way over.”

Rio, who was slicing fresh peaches to go with their sandwiches, froze with the knife slightly raised as she stared at him, open-mouthed in astonishment. “M-Mirabelle?” She set the knife down and wiped her hands on a towel. “How… how did she find you _here_? And… how is she?”

“She didn’t ‘find me’, I wrote to her first, the day after I arrived here. I’ve been writin’ her every so often, just so’s she’d know that I was still alive and searchin’ for you. Just never was in any place long enough for her to get to write back before now.”

Vaughn hung his vest up and took his hat off, placing it on the table near the door. Without answering her second question, he went to wash up, then took a seat at the small dining table, leaning back and looking at her as she stood, flustered and flushed as she attempted to finish assembling the meal. After watching her for a moment, he stood up and joined her in the kitchen. “Lend a hand?” he asked, taking the knife gently from her grasp.

“Huh? Oh, yeah… sure. Thanks,” she replied, her cheeks turning a deeper shade of red. He finished slicing the peaches, even filling the small container for Neil for her, while she poured glasses of lemonade with trembling hands. He carried the plates and glasses out to the table while she cut two slices of the peach pie she’d baked just that morning.

Raising an eyebrow as he took the plates of pie from her, he said, “What’s wrong? No pie for Neil?”

“Oh, ahh, no. He doesn’t care for sweets. He’ll eat fruit, but that’s about it.”

“Hmmm,” Vaughn said as they sat down to eat. Rio toyed with her food, watching him as he ate and waiting for him to speak.

At last, he leaned back in his chair and looked back at her. “Soo…?” she asked, looking at him anxiously.

“You know, you ought to have written to her. Or your friends. They’ve all been worrying about you and missing you. You hurt them a whole bunch, Rio, when you just up and left like that. _I_ might’ve deserved it, but _they_ sure as hell didn’t.”

She flushed crimson and looked away. “I… I know. It was selfish. And wrong. I meant to write, really I did. But… at first I was too upset, and I didn’t know what to say. What _could_ I say—that I’d found out you were cheating on me and that I’d gone away to have our baby all by myself? I couldn’t tell them _that_. And then as time went by, it just… got harder and harder to think of what to say. So I kept putting it off.” She looked back at him, tears in her eyes. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t care about them, or that I haven’t given them a thought in all this time. I think about them often. And I feel terrible for leaving them like that. I can’t blame them if they’re mad at me, hate me even. But… but I still care, and I’d like to know how they are.”

He stared keenly at her for a moment, then nodded as if satisfied as he pulled an envelope out of his vest pocket. Sliding it across the table towards her, he said, “Then why don’t you read for yourself?”

She snatched the letter up eagerly, then hesitated, looking questioningly at him, wordlessly asking if it was really okay for her to read his letter. He nodded, understanding her unspoken question, and she pulled out the pages and began to scan them quickly.

* * *

 

_Dear Vaughn,_

_How wonderful it is to hear from you! I’m so glad you’re doing well, and I’m thrilled you’ve finally found Rio. I know how hard you’ve been searching, how much you’ve sacrificed to find her. I hope that whatever misunderstanding came between the two of you, you’re able to patch things up. Then I hope that you’ll return home to us, even if only for a visit. We’ve all missed you, both of you, so much._

_Now that I can finally write you and get you caught up, I have a lot of local news to tell you. As you may recall, Denny and Lanna married shortly before you left on your search. They now have a darling baby boy, and get this—they named him Fisher! I can’t imagine a more suitable name for their son, though it does make me smile whenever I hear his name._

_And Julia is engaged! She and Elliot finally are tying the knot. I had a time of it talking her into having a real wedding, though. As you know, Rio was her dearest friend, and she was just heartbroken when she left and never even wrote. Said since she’d lost her best friend and couldn’t have her at her wedding, she didn’t care to have one at all. They were going to just sign the papers and consider it a done deal. Maybe you could mention the wedding to Rio… it would be such a surprise for Julia, and it would mean the world to her for you both to be there to see her wed. The wedding is this coming Sunday, though, so I don’t know if you can manage it on such short notice. But for my sake, will you try?_

_Natalie was real put out that Elliot was getting married before her, of course. Even if she’s younger, she just always has to try to prove that she’s better than her big brother. All’s forgiven and forgotten now, though, because a week ago Pierre finally proposed to her. So they’ll be getting married in a few weeks, too. I’m expecting more weddings before long, as well. Will seems to be getting pretty serious about Miss Lily, and Mark’s been courting shy little Sabrina, much to Regis’s dismay, since she’s his darling princess._

_Speaking of Mark, will you let Rio know that he spoke with Taro the other day about the farm? I guess she promised to sign it over to him after he’d finished restoring Sunny Island. Well, he’s done that, and the farm is thriving. Now that he’s getting serious, I think he’s hoping to finalize things. Of course, it looked pretty hopeless for a long while there, when she vanished and no one knew where she had gone. But now that you’ve found her, I hope she’ll come home and do right by her promise to Mark. He’s a good kid, and he’s become a right good rancher._

_No more for now, but I hope you’ll come home to visit very soon. You know you’re like a son to me, Vaughn, and I’ve been worried for you. It would be a real joy to see you again, and Rio too, if you can persuade her. The sooner, the better._

_Please let me know if you need any help with anything, and write again soon._

_With love,_   
_Mirabelle_

* * *

 

Rio looked up at him, her eyes red and teary. “She’s… not doing so well, is she?” she said, more a statement than a question.

Vaughn shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. Or at least, _she_ thinks she isn’t doing well. Hard to say which.”

Rio jumped up. “I’ve got to get back there. Maybe they all hate me, I don’t know. But I have to go anyway. I have to finish things up with Mark, and I want to be there for Julia’s wedding, and… and I want to see Mirabelle before….” Her voice trailed off and she turned blindly towards her closet, stumbling a little on her chair.

Vaughn leaped up from his seat and grabbed her arm, preventing her from falling. “Whoa, now. You can’t leave right this second anyway, so you might as well take a deep breath and think things through. I need to get back there, too, so you can come along with me.” Rio looked at him suspiciously, and he returned her look steadily. “Mirabelle’s about the closest thing I have to family, Rio. If something’s wrong, I need to be there for her. It’s not about you—not this time, anyway. It’s about doing the right thing.”

Rio sighed. “You’re right. I’m sorry, Vaughn. I’m just… all flustered. I’m not thinking straight. But if you’re going, too, I’ll have to arrange for someone to take care of my farm while I’m away. I can probably get Neil to take care of my animals, but I’ll have to find someone to tend my crops.”

Vaughn looked at her strangely. “You’re not asking him to come along?”

She shrugged as she picked up her dishes and went into the kitchen. “To meet a bunch of strangers, go to a wedding, and sign some documents? I doubt he’ll be even slightly interested.”

His mouth twitched in amusement as he said, “How is it that someone as lively and friendly as you keeps winding up with cranky old sourpusses like us?”

“I’ve often wondered that myself,” she replied drily as she gathered up the containers with Neil’s lunch. “I guess it must be true that opposites attract.”

* * *

 

She’d been right, of course, that he had zero interest in accompanying her. So he’d readily agreed to look after her animals, and only then when it was too late had it occurred to him to ask why Vaughn couldn’t see to them himself. He was not at all pleased to find that he was accompanying Rio. But she assured him that it would be a quick trip, just a couple of nights at most, and that she’d be back in plenty of time for the Fireworks Festival that marked the impending departure of summer. He remained sullen, though, despite her assurances, and finally in her exasperation she’d left him to stew on his own.

Yuri had come through for her friend and managed to provide her with a dressy ensemble for the wedding, despite the short notice. Neil was seeing to her animals, and she’d arranged for Iroha and Olivia to take care of her crops, orchards, and flowers while she was gone. She was set.

Friday morning arrived, the day of the Cooking Festival. She’d considered skipping it, after all, in order to get an earlier start back to the Sunshine Islands that she once had called home. But Vaughn assured her that they could make the train if they left as soon as the competition was over. So she agreed to his suggestion, and prepared her entry for the contest early in the morning.

When Vaughn walked in, his backpack in hand, she was dressed and ready to go to the festival, decked out in a simple strapless red dress with a brown belt and pulling on a pair of brown cowboy boots. She stood and slipped on a pair of sunglasses and a brown straw cowboy hat, and grabbed a basket from the counter. A pack stood ready near the door, and an pair of tickets lay on the table next to the door. “All right, I’m ready. Let’s go,” she said, pushing past him and out the door. He dropped his bag next to hers and followed, closing the door behind him and striding to catch up to her.

As they walked, she said, “I’ve got our tickets for both trains. Are you ready to leave as soon as the festival is over?”

“Yep,” Vaughn affirmed, tugging his hat a little lower. Normally, he’d be eager for this opportunity… but he was worried. Mirabelle had sounded strangely desperate to see them, and he didn’t like to think about what that might mean. She was a motherly sort and rarely asked anything of others, so for her to make such a request…. He hooked his thumbs in his belt loops and walked a little faster, as if that would somehow get him back to the islands more quickly.

When they arrived, she stopped to register with Dunhill. He took her basket and peered inside, then looked up at her in surprise. “ _This_ is your entry?” She nodded, and he shrugged as he pushed the sign-in sheet towards her. “All righty then, you know your own business best. Off you go, the both of you. Judging starts in just a few minutes—you got here just in time.”

“What _is_ your entry?” Vaughn asked, more curious than ever.

“You’ll see soon enough,” she said with a smile as she scanned the crowd, waving to her friends and nodding to strangers and acquaintances as she made her way up to the stage.

No one else from town had cared to enter this year, though Allen had threatened to do so. In the end, though, Rio was the sole representative of the village, pitted against three entries from out of town. Since she was the latest to arrive, she was also the last to be judged. The first entry was a dish of cannelloni made by an elderly woman, Linda, from a nearby town. Clement tasted it thoughtfully, and after a little consideration nodded grudging approval. The next entry, a pilaf made by a young man named Carl, earned a frown of distaste, but the risotto that followed, made by a young lady called Marie, earned a sigh of satisfaction.

Finally Clement called for Rio’s entry. Dunhill brought her basket up to him and removed the cloth. Clement started in surprise… and lifted out a loaf of bread. “Bread? _This_ is your entry? Are you quite sure?” he asked in astonishment, turning to stare at Rio, his eyes fairly bulging.

She lifted her chin proudly and nodded, and he shrugged. He squeezed it, listening intently as his eyes opened wide in surprise. He set the loaf down and Dunhill offered him a knife. He waved it away, though, instead tearing off a large piece. He sniffed it, he listened to it, he poked and prodded it, and finally he tasted it. His eyes closed and he fairly purred as he slowly chewed and swallowed.

Without a word, he stood and nodded to Dunhill, who called the contestants to return to the stage. Once everyone was gathered, Clement stepped forward. “Ahh, I have tasted some marvelous dishes today—marvelous! Such skill, such talent, such inspiration! But alas, there can be only one winner. And the winner of this year’s Cooking Festival is….” He paused, looking over the crowd and then at each contestant, taking his time for dramatic effect.

“The winner is… Rio, of Echo Village!” The crowd gasped, uniformly surprised by his choice, then began to cheer. Rio jumped for joy, then ran up to hug first Clement, then Dunhill as they awarded her the prize of a pack of dried truffles.

Linda, the older woman who had entered the cannelloni, scowled angrily as she protested, “How can that be? How can she have won with just a… a loaf of _bread_? I slaved for _hours_ over the sauce, and I even made the pasta by hand! This contest must be rigged!”

Dunhill gave her a cold look and opened his mouth to speak, but Clement stepped forward. “My dear lady, you are clearly an enthusiastic cook. Your cannelloni was very good, very good indeed. Quite passable for a dinner party with friends, especially one where the wine is generously poured. But do not mistake me—you are no more than a keen amateur.” He reached over and picked up the remains of the loaf. “This mere loaf of humble bread is a work of art. The crackle of the perfectly crisp crust! The fragrance! The light, even crumb! The slight chewiness!”

He breathed deeply, a blissful expression on his face, then turned to Rio. “Tell me, my girl, where did you learn to bake such a splendid loaf?”

“My mother,” she replied with a smile.

“Your mother? Was she a baker?” Clement asked, surprised.

“No, she was a wife and a mother, neither more nor less. She taught me how to cook. My first lessons were in how to boil an egg, how to make a green salad with vinaigrette, how to make tea, and how to bake bread. She considered those the fundamentals, and she wouldn’t let me learn anything else until I’d perfected all of them. She used to tell me that _anyone_ can make something complicated, masking inferior ingredients and lack of skill with strong flavors like herbs or garlic or spices. She told me that only a _real_ cook could make simple, homey foods perfectly.”

Clement smiled broadly at her. “Ahh, a woman after my own heart. Well, Rio, I would have to say that your mama was right about that. I congratulate you. Should you ever give up farming, I’ll gladly offer you a position in my kitchen!”

In no time at all, Rio and Vaughn were off, hurrying out of the fairgrounds and towards her house, Neil following behind. Rio knew he was still upset, and she supposed she could understand why… but she also knew he’d have hated going, hated every minute of it, glowering darkly at everyone— _especially_ Vaughn—and exasperating her even further. Though she refused to admit it even to herself, she was a little relieved to get away from him and his moodiness for a few days.

“All right,” she called as she tore into the house, kicking off her boots and tossing her hat to the side as she darted towards her closet and began pulling out clothes. “Neil, I didn’t have time to do more than milk the cows this morning, so will you please finish up for me? I expect to leave the islands Monday morning, so I should be back by Monday evening if all goes well. Tuesday morning at the latest. So in case I don’t see you beforehand, I’ll meet you at the festival grounds Tuesday evening, say between 8:00 and 10:00? I should be able to handle my animals that day, but Iroha and Olivia will tend my crops for me, just in case I’m late getting back.”

She gathered up her clothing and dashed into the bathroom. She continued speaking while she changed, her voice slightly muffled by the door. “Vaughn, we’ll have to hurry off if we’re to catch the train on time. Can you go saddle up while I finish changing? I’ll meet you out there in a few.” He grunted in agreement and headed out the door, grabbing their packs on the way. “Neil?” she called after the door closed behind Vaughn.

“Yeah, what?” he grumbled.

“Are you still angry with me for going?”

He sighed heavily. “No… not exactly _angry_. Not anymore, at least. I just…. I don’t trust Vaughn, that’s all. And the thought of you going off somewhere with him….”

“You know, I’m not exactly ‘going off somewhere with him’. We just happen to need to go to the same place at the same time, so we’re traveling together. That’s all. It’s not like we’ll be staying in the same room at the inn or something. If it was someone else, like Rod or Allen, I doubt you’d care even a little bit. It’s not really that much different.”

“Yeah, it is. Rod and Allen don’t want to get into your pants,” Neil snapped, scowling.

“Oh, don’t worry about that,” she called, then she opened the door and stepped out, wearing shorts and a tank top. “I’ll be wearing a _dress_ , not pants.”

“Not helping,” he growled, watching her pull her boots back on.

“Just kidding, and you know it! Relax, Neil. Nothing’s going to happen. It’s _you_ that I want to be with now, not him. It doesn’t matter how much he hopes and waits and wishes, I’m not changing my mind about him. Okay?”

Sighing again, Neil hesitated, then nodded. “All right. But I swear if he gives you any shit, I’m going to smash that smug grin straight through the back of his head.”

“If he gives me any shit, you won’t have the opportunity—I’ll have already beaten you to it,” she replied with a grin. After a moment, Neil grinned back at her. He knew she could do it, too, if she had a mind to.

“Well… I guess we’ll be off then. Thanks for taking care of my animals, Neil. I appreciate it.”

“Yeah… sure…. Hey, take care, okay? And… and have fun. You know, at the wedding and all. Sorry I’ve been kind of a grouch lately. And don’t worry about the farm. I’ll look after things for you until you get back.”

“Thanks. I… I’ll miss you, you know,” she said, her eyes suspiciously dewy as she looked up at him.

He gave her a lopsided smile. “Ditto.”

She hesitated for a moment, then before he knew what hit him, she grabbed him and kissed him hard, then turned and fled out the door, grabbing the tickets and banging the door shut behind her.

Startled, Neil listened to the sound of her boots running towards the barn, then a few moments later, the staccato beat of hooves on gravel. Then they were gone, and the only sound was the droning song of the cicadas.


	14. Affection

“Whew!” Rio exclaimed as she plopped down into her seat. “I can’t believe we made it!”

“Just barely,” Vaughn said drily as he shoved his pack alongside hers in the overhead storage bin.

“True, but still. It took much longer than I’d expected to drop the horses off at that stable. We’re lucky that the guy’s daughter showed up when she did. She moved much faster than her dad!”

“Yep,” Vaughn agreed, settling back into his seat and stretching his long legs out as best he could in the limited space. He tugged his hat down low and closed his eyes.

Rio sighed as she turned to gaze out the window at the scenery rushing past in a blur. Mountains stretched away to the north as far as she could see, and blue skies sparkled overhead.

She knew she should rest, too, since they had a long trip ahead. The first leg took a little over four hours by train, then they had to change trains—quickly—for the second, much longer leg of their trip, around eleven hours. That part of their journey would last the night, and they ought to arrive in the port town of Sunny Beach with plenty of time to catch the morning ferry to Sprout Island. She shivered a little at the thought, not knowing what reception awaited her. But even if it was positively frigid, she had to sign over those papers to Mark, at the very least… and she needed to see Mirabelle with her own eyes, needed to see how she was doing herself.

Rio squeezed her eyes shut and tried to silence her thoughts and worries and fears, but her brain was having none of that. Visions of Neil danced across her tightly closed eyelids, and again she sighed. She liked him very much, probably even loved him— _really_ loved him, that is. If only he’d just… thaw out a little. It was hard to be certain how she felt when she wasn’t sure how _he_ felt, either. Was he just sticking with her out of a sort of inertia? Did he actually enjoy being with her? Did he… did he want more out of their relationship, same as her, but for some reason couldn’t admit it? Lately he’d been more irritable than usual… was he growing tired of her? She just couldn’t figure him out. He was so… different from other men she’d known. For one thing, he didn’t seem to have any interest at all in—

“Just forget about him for now, Rio,” Vaughn drawled, startling her out of her reverie. “You can think and think all day and all night, but it ain’t gonna get you nowhere. You need to talk to him, not just think and wonder and worry all to yourself.”

“How did—” she asked, surprised.

“Women only sigh like that when they’re having troubles with their men. I guessed it wasn’t me you were thinkin’ about, and that leaves Neil.” He tipped his hat up just enough to peer at her from beneath the brim. “Am I right?” She nodded, mouth still agape, and he grunted and dropped his hat back down. “Figured as much. I know you too well, Rio.”

“I… I guess so,” she stammered, still staring at him. Then as her travelling companion relaxed and eventually began to snore faintly, she turned again to the window, finally dozing off with her cheek pressed against the cool glass.

* * *

 

As the ferry approached the dock, Rio anxiously shouldered her pack, squinting as she tried to see through the mist at the island looming before them, like a seer peering into a scrying glass. Though she’d lived on those islands for some time and had known them like the back of her hand, the approach was nevertheless unfamiliar—this was only the second time she’d made this particular voyage.

As far as she knew, no one had any idea that they would be arriving, so it was reasonable to assume that no one would be waiting for them at the shore. Still, she felt a small pang of disappointment as she scanned the barren shoreline. Up front, nothing seemed to have changed in the three years since her departure. Will’s yacht was still moored at the dock, swaying gracefully on the rolling waves, Denny’s run-down shack was still standing nearby, and familiar rooflines peeked out of the fog at her. She even saw that same huge rock on the shore, down near Gannon’s shop.

The ferry jerked suddenly as the engines reversed thrust briefly before the pilot cut them, bringing the huge boat to a slow stop as it swung alongside the dock. Rio grabbed the railing and Vaughn grabbed her as she nearly lost her balance, swaying unsteadily. Deckhands secured the ferry to the dock, and the gangplank was dropped down as passengers began to gather on the deck.

Rio shivered slightly, and Vaughn looked at her sympathetically, his hand still grasping her arm. “Cold?” he asked, and she began to nod, then shook her head.

“Just… just a little nervous,” she said, struggling to keep her teeth from chattering.

He gave her arm a squeeze, then released her as they started down the gangplank and towards the shore.

They stopped first at the inn. Carol looked up and started in surprise. “Vaughn? Why, it’s been _ages_! And—is that _Rio_? My word, I thought we’d never see you again! What a delight to have you both come home again!” she exclaimed joyfully as she scrambled down from her stool to shake their hands.

“Howdy, Carol,” Vaughn said, tipping his hat to her with a smile. “Long time, no see.”

“Hello, Carol. It _has_ been a while. It’s good to be back here in the islands,” Rio replied, smiling a little shyly at the innkeeper.

“Well, now, you two would like a room, I guess? Will you be staying a while?” Carol asked as she returned to her desk, her face beaming as she looked from one to the other.

“Yes, uh, _two_ rooms, please,” Rio said, blushing a little at the momentarily startled look on Carol’s face.

“Two? Well, now, that might be a little tricky. You’re _sure_ two? Hmmm. You see, with Julia’s wedding, we’re a little booked up. I do have one room available—a very nice room with a king bed, a cozy little sitting area….”

“ _Definitely_ two,” Rio said, firmly. Carol looked at Vaughn in dismay, and after a slight hesitation, he nodded agreement.

“I apologize, dear. I just thought… well, never mind. I _do_ have a suite available. It’ll cost more than a room, and it’s… well, it’s a mite specialized. But it’s a room with a bed, all the same.”

“‘Specialized’?” Vaughn asked, tipping his head back and looking baffled.

“How much more?” Rio asked, frowning slightly. She’d already had to tap into her emergency funds for this trip, especially as she was footing the bill for Vaughn’s travel and his room. He very much needed to be here, too, she knew, but he just didn’t have the money. She wondered if it would be so _very_ awful to share a room, after all…. Then she imagined telling Neil, and decided that yes, it would be.

* * *

 

“It’s, uhh… colorful?” Vaughn commented as they stared through the doorway into the upstairs suite.

“ _Very_ colorful. Wow, Carol. I had no idea that you had something like this up here,” Rio gasped, shaking her head slightly as if in disbelief.

“Oh, yes,” Carol said brightly, her cheery, wholesome appearance at odds with the lurid scene before them. “Sometimes couples just need a little something different, something out of the ordinary, to break up their routine, you know. Most couples who stay in this suite react just the same as you, but by the time their stay is over, they’re nearly always rejuvenated—not just individually, mind, but their whole relationship. It just gives them that little ‘spark’ that they need.”

“Spark?” Vaughn said, looking at her in amazement. “Looks like the whole damn room’s on fire.”

They were inspecting one of the two larger suites upstairs, the one Carol gaily referred to as the ‘Romance Suite’. Oriental rugs were scattered across the hardwood floor, the furniture was old and heavy, mostly walnut with some rosewood accents. Ruby red velvet drapes, tied back with gold tasseled cords, framed the windows. A chaise upholstered in the same red velvet stood before an ornate black marble fireplace, and a small table and chairs were placed near the window. But what caught their eyes first—what caught _everyone’s_ eyes first—was the enormous bed. A ruby-colored velvet spread, embroidered around the edges with vivid golden-colored thread, covered the monstrosity. Matching curtains and a canopy surrounded it from above and all sides, and masses of velvet and satin cushions were piled at the head.

“It… looks… soft?” Rio said, doubtfully.

Carol gently pushed between them and walked over to the bed. “Oh, very! All my clients tell me how comfortable this bed in particular is. And look—satin sheets!” she exclaimed, turning down the spread to reveal glossy golden sheets beneath.

“Ahh, yes, so I see,” Rio said.

“You can still change your mind and bunk with me,” Vaughn said, his lips twitching in an effort to keep from laughing.

“Uhh, no. Thank you. I don’t think Neil would care much for that.”

“Yeah, I reckon he’d kill you if you shacked up with me, huh?” Vaughn said with a glimmer of laughter in his eye.

“Oh, no, he wouldn’t do _that_. He’d kill _you_ ,” Rio said as she turned and headed back down the stairs.

* * *

 

After they’d paid for their rooms, dropped off their packs, and freshened up a little, their next stop was on Verdure Island. Normally at that time of day on a sunny Saturday, Mirabelle could be found standing outside her shop, chatting with her good friend, Felicia. But there was no sign of her, so scowling with concern, Vaughn pushed the shop door open and stepped in, Rio close behind.

Mirabelle was there inside, sitting tiredly at her kitchen table in her apartment adjacent to her shop. She looked up at the sound of Vaughn’s boots, and her whole face lit up as she scrambled to her feet. “Vaughn! You came, you really came! I’m so happy you’re home at last,” she sobbed as she threw her arms around him and hugged him like a mama bear.

Caught off guard, Vaughn stood speechless for a moment before awkwardly returning her embrace, patting her back as he muttered that it was good to see her again, too.

After a few moments, she looked up, and her eyes widened as she spotted Rio, half hiding behind the door, nervously waiting. “Why, _Rio_! You, too? This _is_ a grand occasion—two lost lambs returned to the fold! I hope you’re planning to stay for a good, long spell at least? Oh my, I must sit down. I’m just so overwhelmed with delight to see you both!” She resumed her seat, fanning her flushed face a little as she gestured to the pair to sit down.

Rio took a seat close to Mirabelle, peering anxiously into her face. “How are you, Mirabelle? Are things going well with you? How do you feel?”

“Oh, my dear, I’m fine. Just fine! Really. I’m just not as young as I used to be. And, well, you know how Dr. Trent is, always making such a fuss. He insists I need to slow down, take it easy. Well, who’d run the store if I slowed down, I’d like to know? And business has been good, though I have to say, Vaughn, I don’t like your replacement nearly as much as I liked you. Oh, don’t get me wrong, he’s all right, I suppose. He just doesn’t have quite your knack with animals. That reminds me! Speaking of animals….” She struggled up to her feet and gestured them to follow her back out to the store.

Stepping behind her counter, she leaned over and picked up a cardboard box and placed it on the counter. Hearing a faint cry, Rio hurried over and peered in, Vaughn strolling over and looking over her shoulder. Inside were five tiny kittens—soft, fluffy little creatures their tiny pink mouths opening wide as the yawned and mewled, their eyes bright blue, their paws no larger than the tip of Rio’s finger. With a little cry, Rio reached in and pulled out a little ball of black and white fluff. “They’re adorable! Where’d they come from?”

“Mark dropped them by early this morning. His cat had kittens a few weeks ago, and he asked if I’d be able to find homes for them,” Mirabelle replied as she lifted up a mewling gray kitten.

“Mark? Then these must be… are they Tipsy’s?” Rio exclaimed.

“Oh, no, my dear. Tipsy… well, she never really took to Mark, I’m sorry to say. She really was a one-woman cat, you know. So I’m afraid that about a year after you left, she vanished. He’s seen her here and there about the place, but she’s more or less gone feral. He leaves food out for her when the weather’s bad, so she won’t go hungry, but she won’t come near anyone. Before she ran away, though, she had some kittens. He kept one, and these are her babies.”

“Oh, no… poor Tipsy,” Rio murmured, sadly returning the kitten to her littermates. Just then the door banged open.

“Ma! Are you home? I—” Julia’s voice stopped midsentence when she saw them at the counter as they turned to face her, startled by her entrance. “Vaughn? Is that you? Goodness, it’s been ages!” Then Rio stepped out into her line of sight, and she stopped again as the two women stared at each other.

After the initial shock, Julia’s eyes narrowed as she glared at Rio. “You… you _bitch_! You selfish bitch! How could you _do_ that to me, your best friend? How could you just… just go and not even write to me, not even _once_?” She charged at Rio, who stood openmouthed. Vaughn began to quickly step between them, to intercept Julia’s assault, but Mirabelle reached out and stopped him, shaking her head at him. He started to protest, but she lay a finger across her lips and pointed at the girls.

As he turned back to them, Julia leaped and tackled Rio, knocking them both to the floor. “You _tramp_! Don’t you ever, _ever_ do that to me again!” Julia screeched as she flung her arms around Rio and wept. “Do you have any idea how much I’ve missed you? Don’t you know how much that _hurt_ , having you just disappear like that?”

The pair sat up, still hugging and sobbing. Rio stammered an apology, overwhelmed with relief and joy and distress and a tangle of other emotions, but Julia hushed her. “I don’t know why you left like you did, but I guess you must’ve had your reasons. You weren’t one to just take off on a whim. You were so… dependable. Anyway, I’ve got that out of my system now. I forgive you. Just don’t do you that again, you hear? I _really_ missed you, you idiot!”

As he stared at them in astonishment, Mirabelle grinned and quietly led him past the girls and outside. “Oh, Vaughn, it’s so _good_ to have you home again, even if you can’t stay long. You don’t know how we’ve all missed you—both of you.”

Vaughn grunted as he tugged his hat down, his cheeks reddening. “Nice of you to say, Mirabelle. I’m sure they missed _her_ , but I doubt very many people missed _me_.”

“Nonsense. And how are things between you two, anyway? I take it since you’re here together that you’ve patched things up?” she asked, looking up at the tall man beside her with hopeful eyes.

Vaughn turned abruptly, scowling into the freshening breeze as it blew through his silver locks. “Nah. Wish I could say differently. She’s got herself another man now.”

Mirabelle sighed. “Oh, Vaughn… I’m sorry, really I am. I know how much she means to you and how hard you’ve been trying.”

Vaughn looked back at her, scowling for a moment at the pitying look in her eyes. Then he smiled a half-smile at her. “Don’t you fret, Mirabelle. I haven’t given up yet. And I don’t reckon I will, not as long as there’s any hope.”

“That’s my boy!” she exclaimed, smiling so that her eyes crinkled up as she patted him on the shoulder. “You two really were made for each other. Now you just have to find a way to remind her of that.”

“Easier said than done,” he grunted, turning to look as the two younger women stepped out, their arms around each other’s waists and laughing—just like old times.

“Ma, I hope you won’t mind, this being my last night at home and all. But I’ve asked Rio to stay over tonight. We have so much to catch up on and so little time to do it. Please say you aren’t hurt?” Julia looked at her mother pleadingly.

“Not at all, my dear. I already had it in mind to ask her to dinner tonight. You, too, Vaughn,” she added, turning back to him.

“Then I suppose I had better grab some lunch and track Mark down,” Rio said with a sigh, giving her friend a squeeze before releasing her. “Do you want to come along and see the ranch?” she asked Vaughn.

“Sure. I could do with a bite myself, and I have to admit I’m curious to see what he’s done with the place,” he replied with a nod. With that, they said their goodbyes and headed over to Nick’s for a late lunch. The diner was empty at that hour, so they were able to get their food and be on their way fairly quickly. Even so, it was mid-afternoon before they started across the bridge connecting Verdure Island and the ranch.

As they stepped off the bridge on the far side, they heard the distant sound of a dog barking in warning. Looking around, they finally saw movement in the field of tall grass between the windmill and the stable, heading towards them as the barking grew louder and more frenetic. Finally a small brown dog burst out of the grass and charged towards them, barking furiously.

“ _Tanner_?” Rio exclaimed in surprise, and the dog stopped and looked suspiciously at them. She crouched down and held out her hand, and the dog closed the gap, sniffing at her hand before exploding into excited whimpers and wriggles and squirms, its tail wagging furiously as she scratched his ears and chest. Looking down with a faint smile at the reunion of the pup and his former mistress, Vaughn was surprised to see a tear trickling down Rio’s cheek.

Just then, a voice hailed them from a distance. “Howdy!” a deep voice called, and they looked up to see a familiar worn blue cap bobbing between cornstalks, heading their way. A minute later and Mark stepped out, calling, “What can I do for ya?” He paused in surprise when he saw who his visitors were. “Rio? Is that really you? And Vaughn? You’re back!” Hopping over the canal that fed the small pond, he reached out to shake their hands in a vigorous welcome.

Mark was more than happy to show them around, and Rio looked pleased but wistful as she noted all the changes since she’d left. He’d expanded and improved the barns and coops, and a decent-sized herd of cattle lay in the grassy pasture, quietly chewing their cud in the afternoon heat. On the small islands to the northwest of the main ranch, the orchard was well-grown, with fruit hanging heavy from the neatly pruned limbs, and the rice paddies were full of stalks of green grain, swaying in the gentle breeze.

When they reached the last of the small islands connected to the ranch island, Rio saw that Mark had constructed a greenhouse on the site where the remnants of a former greenhouse, destroyed many years ago by a severe storm, had once stood. It was large and well-constructed, and she walked around it, admiring it as it gleamed in the brilliant sunlight. Mark was justifiably proud of his latest improvement, and happily gave her a tour of its interior, where he was growing sweet potatoes for market.

On the way out of the greenhouse, as Rio and Mark earnestly discussed his improvements and his future plans, Vaughn followed behind, listening to their conversation with moderate interest. Suddenly a loud yowl assaulted their ears from a nearby maple tree. Looking up, they saw a filthy black cat glaring down at them, its back arched and tail fat as it opened its mouth wide in a warning hiss.

“Oh, hey, that’s—” Mark began, but with a cry, Rio cut him off, darting to the tree.

“Tipsy! Oh, you poor thing, just look at you!” she crooned, her eyes worried. The cat edged away from her, but ceased its hissing as it eyed her. Getting no further response, Rio crouched and leaped up, grabbing the lowest limb and swinging up.

“Careful there, Rio,” Vaughn called after her, strolling over. “You don’t know for sure that’s your cat, for one, and some of those branches might be weak, for another. Don’t want you falling and breaking your fool neck.”

“Calm down, Vaughn. I’m certain it’s her—look at her toes! White on the very tips, just like Tipsy’s. It has to be her. And I used to climb the trees around here all the time. Sometimes it was the only way I could escape some of the more persistent boys,” she laughed. She eased herself out onto the branch where the cat crouched, watching her suspiciously. “There now, Tipsy, just hold still and I’ll get you down.”

Vaughn snorted. “She don’t need you to rescue her. She can get down just fine anytime she wants. She’s—look out!” he cried as the cat sprang at her without warning.

He blinked, and to his surprise, the cat was climbing up Rio’s chest, nuzzling her cheek and pushing its nose through her hair as it kneaded her shoulder, causing Rio to wince.

She sat like that for several minutes, crooning softly to the grubby feline as she stroked her. Then she carefully lowered her down to Vaughn, who had to stand on the tips of his toes to reach her, despite his height. Then she dropped down and took the cat back into her arms.

Looking up at Mark, who had watched the entire proceedings with his mouth hanging open, she said, “You won’t mind if I take Tipsy back with me, will you?” He slowly shook his head, and she smiled as she looked back down at the cat burrowing into her neck and purring as if its life depended on it. “I… I think she’s missed me,” she added, slightly choked up.

“So it would seem,” Mark replied, pulling his cap off and running his fingers through his golden hair. “I did my best with her, honest. But she just wouldn’t accept me.”

“It’s okay, Mark. Mirabelle told me all about it. It’s not your fault. She’s just a stubborn old thing. I guess I should have known to take her with me—and I would have done, anyway, if I’d known at the time where I’d be going. But since I didn’t….” she trailed off then, frowning at the memory.

Vaughn cleared his throat. “I reckon we should take her back to Mirabelle’s and get her cleaned up. She’s going to need a lot of TLC. And I’m not sure if Carol will allow a cat in that fancy room of hers, let alone one in Tipsy’s condition.”

“Yes, you’re right. And no, she probably won’t. Maybe Mirabelle would take her in for just that night?”

They took the cat back to Mirabelle’s after arranging to meet Mark at Taro’s house in an hour. There, they bathed her—very much against her will, as she let them know in no uncertain terms—trimmed her claws, and treated her injuries before giving her a can of food, which she tore into, simultaneously purring and growling as she devoured her meal. Mirabelle readily agreed to watch her while Rio went to sign the papers at Taro’s, and she also agreed to let her stay there for the remainder of Rio’s visit.

Vaughn stayed behind to talk with Mirabelle while Rio went alone to meet Mark, though he watched her go with thinly veiled longing in his eyes. Noticing his forlorn expression, Mirabelle sighed to herself. These young people and their complications, she thought to herself. If only they’d see with half the sense of their elders. Then she ushered him back into the house and set about making coffee while chatting merrily.

Rio knocked on the door of Taro’s house and went on in. She found the old man at his desk, and he scrambled to his feet with surprising speed, given his advanced years. He hadn’t changed a bit, she thought fondly as he shook her hand and patted her back enthusiastically. Mark had not yet arrived, so she explained to Taro that she had returned to see if Mark had completed the necessary prerequisites before signing over the deed to her former home to him.

“Oh, sure, sure. Yes, he’s been doing very well. Had a bit of a struggle at first, in spite of all you did to get him started. But he’s a fast learner and a hard worker, and he soon caught on. Maybe not as quickly as you did, but you’re uncommonly talented. He’s doing just fine now, anyway, and able to relax a little now and then. You know he’s taken up with Regis’ little girl, Sabrina? Yep, they make a nice couple. Though I don’t quite see her as a farmer’s wife…. Still, you never know. People surprise you sometimes, don’t they?” He gave her a keen look, and she flushed slightly under his scrutiny. Then he returned to his seat and opened a drawer in one of his filing cabinets. “Let’s see… Rice, Rimaldi Shipping Co., Rivers… ahh, here we go. Rivera, Rio. Now if I recall….” A moment later he pulled a few pages out of the folder and set them on the desk before him. Pulling out a pair of pince-nez and settling them across the bridge of his nose, he looked over the paperwork. “So you agreed to sign the deed to your ranch, including all buildings and other assets contained thereon, to Mr. Mark Dalton—”

“That’s my name,” a low voice rumbled as the door opened and Mark stepped in.

“Ah, yes, Mark. Good timing. I was going over the agreement with Rio here. Both of you, take a seat. Now,” he continued as he perused the documents, “as I was saying, Rio here agreed to sign over the deed to her real estate and ranch assets here in the Sunshine Islands to you, Mark, provided you fulfilled certain prerequisite terms. Those are: a) you must raise Sunny Island back to the surface; b) you must, at a minimum, maintain the ranch and its produce at the standard which Rio had set when she relinquished control to you; and finally, c) you must care properly for all of your animals, whether acquired from Rio or otherwise.” He looked up, glancing at Mark before turning to Rio. “Now, do you consider these terms to be fulfilled, my dear?”

“I haven’t seen Sunny Island, but I have been assured that it has been raised and is now habitable?” she said, looking back and forth between both men.

“Yep, took quite a while, but I finally raised it up. Wanna go take a look?” Mark asked, looking questioningly at her.

“Maybe if I have time, but for now, I’ll take both of you at your word. I’ve already looked over the ranch, and it looks great. You’ve done a good job there. I didn’t examine your animals, but they appeared contented. Tanner certainly took to you, even if it did take some time. I think the only animal that could be said to not have been well-cared for is poor Tipsy, but…” she held up her hand to quell Mark’s protest before he could blurt it out, “…I know it’s not your fault, and I’m sure you did your best for her. So I am satisfied.”

Taro nodded. “That’s just fine, then. Now I believe you hadn’t actually requested any recompense, but I must warn you that if you do not accept any payment in exchange for the land, you may be liable for taxes just the same as if you had sold it for its full value. Therefore, I really do urge you to sell it for at least a nominal price. It needn’t be anything near its value; it may be said that Mark has paid off much of the sale price with his hard work.”

Looking in dismay at Mark, Rio said, “Oh, but… I don’t know. That wasn’t really part of our original agreement, you know. It doesn’t seem right.”

Mark smiled and said, “That’s true, but I never felt quite easy just accepting it as practically a gift, either. I couldn’t have paid a dime for it three years ago, but the past year has been a profitable one. I can afford to pay you something for it, anyway, even if not its full value.”

In the end, Rio accepted a payment in cash of 1% of the market value. Despite being such a small percentage, it was nevertheless enough for her to recoup the expenses of this trip with a little leftover, and she left Taro’s offices feeling as though a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

Until she walked into Mirabelle’s shop and nearly ran straight into Vaughn.

* * *

 

Mirabelle smiled to herself as she programmed the coffeemaker to start the coffee early in the morning. Peals of laughter continually issued forth from her daughter’s room, and she was delighted that she was enjoying herself so much on the eve of her wedding—a night which many brides-to-be found rather nerve-wracking.

Dinner had gone well, she thought, and she wondered about Rio’s new life. She had talked a little about her new home, new farm, new friends… though only mentioned her new boyfriend rather briefly, which Mirabelle found curious. She’d noticed Vaughn’s jaw tightening when Julia asked about him, and while Rio answered. Then he’d changed the subject, and Rio had not returned to it again. Perhaps being around her old friends, her old home, and her old ranch had given her pause with respect to her new love as compared to her old. She didn’t know this other young man, of course, but she found it difficult to believe anyone could be as well suited to her as Vaughn, nor to him as she.

Sighing again to herself, she picked up the large bowl of popcorn that she’d popped while making the coffee and headed back to Julia’s room. Their apartment was on the small side, and her room was fairly tiny. The girls were squeezed into her single bed, but they didn’t seem to mind, given how hard they were talking. As she opened the door, she smiled at the giggles being stifled by both of them. “Popcorn?” she offered as she stepped through. With a sigh, she looked around. “Oh, Julia. Your room is a disaster! What will Elliot say if you keep house like this? What will _Felicia_ say?”

“ _Ma_! You know I can keep house just fine. It’s only my bedroom that’s a mess, and that’s just because it’s so teensy! Besides, we’ve been kind of tearing around through my stuff, catching up. So it’s more of a mess than usual,” Julia pouted as she took the bowl from her mother, though her eyes sparkled with humor.

“If you say so, dear. Now, don’t you two stay up too late. Tomorrow’s a big day!” Then feeling the tears suddenly springing to her eyes, she turned quickly and bustled back out the door.

“Ma! You forgot something!” Julia yelped, and sprang out of bed, nearly spilling the popcorn.

“I did?” Mirabelle said as she turned in surprise, just as Julia threw her arms around her neck and gave her a big hug and a kiss.

“Yep, you forgot your goodnight kiss, Mama dearest. Sweet dreams,” she said, holding her mother tightly.

“You, too, my dearest darling,” Mirabelle replied, patting her daughter’s arm and kissing her. Then she hurried away to her room, where she spent much of the night listening to the muffled chatter and giggles of the two girls while crying over old photo albums.

* * *

 

“Okay, so now that Vaughn’s gone… tell me all about this new guy! You hardly even mentioned him at dinner! I mean, I know Vaughn was there, and maybe it was kind of awkward because of that… but come on! Details!” Julia said, shaking her friend’s arm for emphasis, her eyes shining.

Rio sank down onto the bed dramatically. “I _can’t_ tell you details!”

Julia blinked in surprise. “You can’t? Why not? Come on, you used to tell me all about you and Vaughn!”

With a sigh, Rio said, “I can’t tell you details, because there _aren’t_ any details to tell.”

“ _None_?”

“None at all.”

“But aren’t you and he…?”

“Dating? Yes. But… so far, nothing more than a few little kisses. _If_ no one else is around.”

“That’s _it_?” Julia asked incredulously.

Rio just nodded. She felt that maybe she wasn’t being quite _entirely_ fair to Neil, but in that moment, she wasn’t sure she cared. After all, she had a lot of pent-up frustration she needed to vent, and this was the first opportunity she’d had to do so.

“Well, I don’t know how he can keep his hands off you. You’re like a… a luscious, perfectly ripe peach, just waiting for someone to come along and take a bite!” Julia grinned and bared her fangs, threatening to bite Rio’s shoulder with a deranged look in her eyes.

Laughing at her friend’s antics, Rio pushed her away. Giggling, Julia went on. “Seriously! If that boy doesn’t get some sense into his head soon— _either one of them_!—you should start lookin’ around for a replacement! I bet there’s a ton of boys who’d be more than happy to take his place! I know all the boys here in the Islands were keen on you, at least at some time or another. Even my Elliot! Lucky for me you never had eyes for anyone but Vaughn, or tomorrow might not be happening!”

“You’re crazy,” Rio snorted. “At best Elliot had maybe the teeeeeensiest crush on me right after I moved here. For maybe all of five minutes, until you walked by and recalled him to his senses. He’s always loved you, and you know it! The only boys that _really_ chased me much at all were Denny and Will and Shea, that wild boy. How is he, anyway? Do you know?”

“Shea? Oh, I heard from Kirk that his dad had arranged for him to marry some girl from another tribe on a neighboring island. I’m not sure when that’s supposed to happen, though. Anyway, you left Vaughn off your list, silly!”

“Oh, Vaughn _never_ chased me. He just lounged around looking at me from under the brim of his hat, waiting for _me_ to come to _him_!”

“Until you left… _then_ he chased you—like he’d never chased anything in his life, I bet. Too bad he didn’t catch up to you sooner. What… what happened between you, anyway?” Julia said, with some trepidation. She knew she was treading on thin ice.

After a long pause, Rio replied in a low voice, “He cheated on me, that’s what happened. I found out from one of his ‘flings’.”

“ _Vaughn_ did? Are… are you _sure_? I mean, you only had her word for it, right?”

Rio shook her head. “I was sure. And he admitted it after he tracked me down. Not at first, of course. He tried to deny it when I confronted him. But then he slipped up, and it all came out.”

“ _Vaughn_ … cheated on _you_. That… that’s so hard to imagine. I mean, he was— _is_ —so crazy about you. I don’t know what the hell he was thinking!” Then staring intently at her friend, she said, “But even so… I mean, I can see why you’d be pissed off at him. I’d be mad as hell if Elliot pulled a stunt like that. And I’d pack up and leave him, no doubt about that. But I sure wouldn’t leave the _islands_ because of it. So… why did _you_? Was there more that happened?”

Rio didn’t answer, just stared blankly at the crocheted coverlet spread across her lap while her fingers wove in and out of the lacy design. After a moment, Julie gently shook her shoulder, a worried look in her eyes. “Ree? Hey, what is it? What happened? You know you can tell me anything—anything at all. I might not be able to help, ‘specially after all this time, but… I’m still here for you.”

A tear slowly trickled down Rio’s cheek as she looked up at her friend. “I… You can’t tell anyone. Anyone! Not even your mom. Or Elliot. Promise me?” Julia nodded, and she added, “Pinky promise?” Julia held up her pinky, and Rio hooked their pinkies together and nodded, satisfied. She leaned in close, reluctant even to speak out loud.

As she whispered, Julia’s eyes widened in shock. Pulling back to look into her friend’s eyes, she gasped, “No! You’re kidding, right? You didn’t! You did? Really? But then, what… what happened? Where…?”

“I gave her up. She was adopted by a really nice couple who couldn’t have kids of their own. They keep in touch with me, so I can hear how she’s doing. It… it was the right thing to do. I think. But, oh… you’ve no idea, Jules, how hard it was to do that.” She bent her head over her knees and cried a little, silently, while Julia rubbed her back, comforting her.

After a few minutes, she straightened up and wiped her hand across her eyes. “Anyway, that’s why I left. And why I never wrote anyone. I just didn’t know what to say….”

“Like I said, you can tell me anything at all—I’ll always be here for you,” Julia whispered, putting her arms around her friend and holding her tightly.

Ten minutes later, they were sound asleep, still holding onto each other—one offering solace, and the other accepting it at last.


	15. Union

“I still cannot believe that Elliot managed to persuade Vaughn to be his best man! Vaughn _hates_ things like that!” Rio exclaimed with a giggle as she and Julia headed over to Sprout Island together.

“Well, duh! It’s because _you’re_ my maid of honor! You think he’s going to let any other man near you while you’re all dolled up?” Both girls giggled again, though Rio rolled her eyes at the suggestion. Then Julia slipped her arm through her friend’s and pulled her closer. “I’m so happy you came back in time, Ree. You don’t know what it means to me for you to be here. I… I didn’t even _want_ a wedding, at first. I didn’t want anyone else to by my maid of honor, and it seemed strange to have a wedding without one. But… I’m so glad Ma talked me into it. Because _you came home_!”

Rio squeezed her friend’s arm sympathetically, then they arrived at Lanna and Denny’s house and knocked on the door. A moment later, and the petite blonde opened it wide and greeted them cheerfully. “Come on in, ladies! Are you here for Vaughn’s tux? It was so lucky that Will happened to have one that was almost a perfect fit! Vaughn is just a little broader in the shoulders, but only a little. And his legs are a smidgen longer. But I was able to make the adjustments, and it should fit him to a T!”

She led them back to her bedroom, placing a finger on her lips for quiet. Rio spotted a sleeping baby in a cradle by the large bed, and had to struggle to suppress the squeal of delight at his damp brown curls and plump, rosy cheeks and mouth. Then Lanna was handing a suit on a hanger to her, and she tore her eyes from the precious sight. They quietly crept back out of the room, and Lanna softly shut the door behind them.

“Thank you so much, Lanna! I know it was terribly short notice, but you’re far and away the most skilled seamstress in the islands!”

“Oh, it was no problem! I love to sew. You know, I used to design and sew all my costumes back in my performing days. That was a lot of work, but so much fun!”

As they reached the door, Rio smiled at Lanna. “By the way, your son is just adorable! Fisher—that’s his name, right?”

“Yes, that’s right. And thanks! I only hope he behaves himself tonight—babies are so unpredictable.” she said with an apologetic look at Julia, who just shook her head.

“Don’t worry about it, Lanna. Babies are a part of life, same as weddings. No one’s going to mind if Fisher adds his voice to the proceedings, or _I_ won’t anyway.”

“Then we’ll see you at the church this afternoon!” Lanna replied as they stepped back outside. She waved as she closed the door, and they crossed the street to the hotel.

They stopped first at Vaughn’s room on the main level, and when he opened the door, he stared at the clothing Rio held out to him. Glaring, he said, “I can’t believe I let you talk me into wearing this monkey suit. Why’d Elliot want _me_ , anyway? Why not one of his pals?”

Julia rolled her eyes. “Because, dummy, Elliot has idolized you practically his whole life! He thinks you’re pretty much the coolest guy that ever walked the earth.” Vaughn reddened and stared at her in surprise, and she grinned maliciously as she continued, “Too bad he doesn’t know you as well as _I_ do!” Then stifling a giggle, she turned and ran towards the staircase.

Laughing as her friend fled, Rio turned back to Vaughn. “So the wedding starts this afternoon at 16:00, but you and I need to be there earlier. Since the boat ride would mess up our clothes, we’ll dress over there so we look our best for the ceremony. Meet us at the dock in two hours, at 13:00, and bring the tux and anything else you need to get ready with you. Kirk should get plenty of business today, ferrying everyone back and forth!”

“All right. I’m gonna grab some lunch, and I’ll meet you in a while,” Vaughn said as he reluctantly took the hanger from her. She smiled and turned to run after her friend, and he stood there for a moment, watching her disappear up the staircase. Then he glared again at the suit as he shut the door.

Julia was standing in the doorway to the Bridal Suite, where she and Elliot would be spending their wedding night that night. She had a dreamy look in her eyes, and as Rio walked up behind her, she murmured, “You know, I’ve dreamed of this day for so long. I can’t believe it’s finally happening! I’ve loved that big goof since I was just a kid, you know, but there were times I didn’t think he’d _ever_ notice me. It was awful whenever he’d get a crush on some other girl. It was worst when he had one on you, though, since you were my best friend. I don’t know what I’d have done if you’d liked him back. So I’m really glad you had your eye on Vaughn instead! Speaking of whom… will you be okay tonight? I mean, doing the maid of honor thing with him as the best man? After all you told me….”

Rio shrugged. “It’ll be fine. Don’t worry. Strange as it may seem, I’ve forgiven him, though I haven’t actually come out and told him so yet, not in so many words at least. I’m not all that angry, even, I just… I just don’t love him anymore, either. I’ve moved on.”

As they crossed the hall to Rio’s scarlet room, Julia looked curiously at her friend. “And what about this new beau of yours? I mean, if he’s such a cold fish…?”

Closing the door behind them, Rio turned and looked her friend in the eyes. “Jules… how many times have you and Elliot been together?”

Blushing almost as deep a red as the décor surrounding her, Julia replied, “N-none, I mean, not at all, not yet. Tonight will be the first time, for both of us.”

“And were you okay with that, all that time?”

“Well… I mean, I guess so? I wouldn’t have minded… but Elliot wanted to wait until we were married, and I was fine with that.”

“Did you ever think for one minute that you loved him less because he didn’t want to get more intimate with you sooner?”

“ _No_! Of course not! Why would I let something like _that_ change how I feel about him?” Julia asked her incredulously.

“Then why would you think it should be any different for me and Neil?” Rio asked.

Julia blinked at her friend in surprise, then stammered, “I-I, uhh, w-well, I mean, it… it’s not the same! Is it? I-I mean, it’s one thing to refrain from something you’ve never had, and another to refrain from something you’ve enjoyed a lot of in the past. It’s… it’s like chocolate. If you’ve never had it before, it’s not all that go without it because you don’t know what you’re missing. But if it’s something you love, it’s really hard to suddenly forego it. I-isn’t it?”

Rio sighed. “Yes and no. It _was_ hard, at first, and I was so lonely. Sometimes I even thought about packing up and coming back, taking Vaughn back again, just because it was such a struggle. Then after I settled in Echo Village, I had a ton of work to keep me busy all day, and I didn’t have time to think or feel lonesome. But at night…. And after a time, when I discovered that I was starting to think of Neil as more than just a friend… well, at first I didn’t know if it was real, or just because I wanted someone— _anyone_ —to be with me. Neil’s very different from Vaughn, though. Vaughn is reserved just because he doesn’t care for the company of others as a rule. If he takes a liking to you, though, he’ll warm up and can be really sweet, as you know. Neil… well, Neil’s not so much unsociable as terribly, _terribly_ shy. And.. well, he’s kind of afraid to show anyone what he thinks or feels, and it seems like he’s even afraid of his feelings. I often wonder if he had a hard time as a kid, though he’s never said anything. So yeah, it was hard to go without at first, but I just take it one day at a time—even if it’s not always easy.”

Julia gave her friend a squeeze. “I’m sorry, Ree. I just hate to see you unhappy. And it seems like you’re not very happy anymore.” She released her and sighed. “So do you think you’ll work things out between you and Neil? Or do you think you might someday change your mind about Vaughn and go back to him, like if nothing changes with Neil? I mean, there’s no mistaking how _he_ feels about you.”

“No, I don’t _think_ so. I mean, I guess I can’t say what’ll happen in the future, but…. Although, I have to admit, I find his dedication kind of touching, even if it also gets on my nerves sometimes. And—now, don’t you dare breathe a word of this to _anyone_ , Julia Joy Ferguson!—and if I’m totally honest, I _do_ still feel attracted to him. Still, I’d much rather he just leave me alone. It’s nice having his help around the farm, since it was really getting to be too much for me to manage on my own. But… I wish he’d just find himself someone else and move on. I don’t love him, and I think I _do_ love Neil, so having him quietly persistent like that is… well, distracting.”

Julia shook her head as she walked over to the closet. “I bet. ‘Distracting’ doesn’t even begin to describe it, I would think!” Then she opened the door and squealed. “Oooh! Just look at this! It’s so flashy! I would _never_ have imagined you picking out something like this!” she exclaimed as she pulled out a short, strapless dress in glimmering gold, heavily sequined and very fitted.

“I didn’t have a lot of choices—there were only two dressy dresses that even came close to fitting me in the shop back home, and the other one was a black dress with a long skirt and a jacket, more suitable for a funeral than a wedding! Yuri can do wonders, but she just doesn’t stock that much in the way of formal attire. There’s just not much demand for fancy clothes in a tiny village in the mountains.”

“Oh, but Ree, it’s perfect! My colors are pink and gold! Now if your dress had been blue or green or something, that might have looked a little odd. But gold! And it’ll look amazing on you, especially this time of year, when you get so tanned!”

Rio laughed. “Well, then I’m glad I didn’t pick the funeral dress! Come on, let’s grab my stuff and get down to the dock. We’ve got a wedding to hold!”

* * *

 

“Rio!” Vaughn bellowed from the tiny room in the church where he was dressing.

With a sigh, Rio hurried down the hall. “What? What is it Vaughn? Aren’t you dressed _yet_?”

“It’s this damned suit! I can’t figure it out. Am I supposed to wear the jacket or the vest? And what is this thing next to the button on the pants? And do I _have_ to wear the suspenders?” he called, and she tapped at the door. He opened it, and gave a low whistle. “Well, aren’t _you_ a tall, cool glass of water?”

“Do you want my help or not?” she snapped, scowling impatiently, turning as if to leave.

“Well, I don’t _want_ to wear the damned thing at all. But if I’ve got to, then I’m gonna need some help.”

Rio stepped into the little office that had been put to temporary use as the men’s dressing room. Elliot had changed first and hurried off to meet with Nathan, leaving Vaughn to struggle with his unfamiliar clothing alone.

She gave him a quick glance over. He had his pants pulled up but unfastened, his shirt on but not yet tucked in, and his boots and hat on. In lieu of the bow tie that had accompanied the suit, he’d put on a bolo tie with a silver and turquoise slide.

“Okay,” she said as he showed her the fastening on the waistband, “first of all, that ‘thing’ next to the button is just a second closure, kind of a hook and eye. Jeans don’t use them, but suit pants often do. Just hook them together, then do the button. That’s all there is to it. You don’t _have_ to wear the suspenders, but if you moon the entire town, you’ll never live it down. Here, I can help you put them on. You’re supposed to fasten them onto the waistband _before_ you pull the pants on. As for the jacket and vest, you wear both. At _least_ for the wedding. Once the reception is underway, I expect you could take off the jacket, and maybe even the vest, too. After several rounds of drinks, no one’s going to care if you strip all the way to your boxers, I would guess!”

“Not even you?” Vaughn asked her, one corner of his mouth quirked in amusement.

“If you’re asking me if I’d be in favor of you doing so, the answer is no. I would _not_. Now get a move on—we’re supposed to start in just a few minutes! And for goddess’s sake, Vaughn, _behave_!”

“Now, where’s the fun in _that_?” he drawled, grinning at her exasperated expression. She threw up her hands and shook her head, then darted out the door, leaving him to finish his preparations.

* * *

 

Standing at her friend’s side, listening to Nathan as he droned on and on about love and commitment and sacred unions, Rio’s mind wandered a little. She’d always assumed that she’d be married before Julia. It had seemed so… so certain, once upon a time. Elliot lacked the confidence to make a move, and she and Vaughn were clearly meant to be together. Or so she had thought.

Once upon a time.

Now, she had no idea what the future held. She wondered if Neil would ever want to join his life with hers, the way her friends were at that very moment. She felt a twinge of envy despite the deep joy she felt on Julia’s behalf as she watched Vaughn hand the ring to Elliot, who then slipped it onto Julia’s finger. She suddenly felt an intense wave of doubt wash over her that, whatever happened with her and Neil, he’d ever break out of his shell enough for them to share their lives like this.

And as she felt her heart shattering at that thought, she recalled that she was the maid of honor, and should be smiling with joy for her newlywed friend—and so she did, though the smile didn’t quite make it to her troubled blue eyes.

* * *

 

“Well, now, don’t _you_ just look good enough to eat?” the stranger said, sidling up to Rio and offering her a glass of wine. She hated the way his eyes slid over her, like oil spreading across water she thought, and refused the drink, holding up the glass she already held in excuse. He shrugged and drank it himself, quickly, grinning at her all the while. “I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure of your acquaintance,” he said, setting the drained glass on the table nearby. “I’m Julia’s cousin, Justin. Justin Tyme.”

“Justin Tyme?” she blinked at the odd name.

Slipping his arm around her waist, he grinned. “I’m so glad you agree. Now why don’t we ditch this shindig and go have ourselves a real good time. Whaddya say?”

Before she could free herself from his grip or reply, though, Vaughn sauntered up, his face expressionless, though his eyes were flashing with anger. “Is this clown botherin’ you, Rio?”

“Hey, back off, buddy! I saw her first!” Justin glared up at him blearily.

“You better toss him back, Rio. Even shrimp have a size limit, and he’s too small to keep.”

His face livid, Justin snapped, “Oh yeah? You think you’re so clever, do you? Think you’re better’n me just ‘cause you’re taller? C’mon outside, I’ll show you. You’ll see!” Then he turned and stalked out the door. Vaughn shrugged, gave Rio an amused look, and followed him out the door, despite Rio’s protests.

Five minutes later, Vaughn came back in, alone. “What happened?” Rio exclaimed, looking past him for some sign of his challenger. “You didn’t hurt him, did you? I mean, he was a creep, but still!”

“Naw, don’t you worry. He took one good swing at me, missed by a mile, and fell over on his face. He was so drunk he couldn’t get back up again. He just passed out right there on the lawn. So I dragged him over and leaned him back against a tree. He’ll probably wake up in a few hours, cold and sobered up a bit.”

Rio sighed. “Why do these things keep happening to me?” she asked, leaning against a pillar and sipping her wine.

Vaughn pushed his hat back a little and stared at her. “You’re kidding, right? I mean, just _look_ at you. He was right, you know—you _do_ look good enough to eat. The only thing that surprises _me_ is that not every man in this room is chasing after you.”

Rio flushed. “I can’t help it, this was the only nice dress I could get on such notice. I’m not _looking_ for that kind of attention, you know.”

He shook his head. “Doesn’t really matter _what_ you wear. Don’t you know that by now? You even look hot in old overalls and shitkickers.”

She opened her mouth to respond, but Regis stepped out onto the dance floor at that moment and announced the first dance. With that, Elliot led Julia out onto the floor, and the sweet strains of a violin began to play. Watching the pair slowly swirl around the floor, Elliot in his immaculate white tuxedo and Julia in her strapless gown of soft, filmy white lace, Rio’s eyes dimmed slightly with tears as her earlier misgivings returned.

Watching her closely, Vaughn leaned in and said in a low voice, “They’re a mighty handsome pair, aren’t they?”

In a low voice, thick with regrets, Rio sighed, “That could have been us, you know. If you hadn’t….”

Leaning in slightly closer, he whispered, “It still _could_ be, you know. Just say the word, Rio, and I’ll be at your side in a heartbeat.”

She slowly shook her head, though this time she didn’t pull away from him. “No, Vaughn. That bridge has been burned. There’s no going back to what we had before.”

“Bridges can be rebuilt, if you’ve the will, and even if we can’t go back, that doesn’t mean we can’t move forward, together,” he murmured, and she didn’t reply as she watched her friend’s joyful eyes gazing adoringly at her new husband.

For the second dance, Julia took a turn with Taro while Elliot danced first with Mirabelle and then with his own mother. At Julia’s and Elliot’s urging, Vaughn and Rio joined them, swaying slowly to the soft music. Not in a talkative mood, Rio danced with him in silence, and he watched her, trying to interpret her expressions, wondering if he dared to hope a little harder.

Rio, however, thought to herself that she’d have preferred to avoid dancing with Vaughn. There was no denying it, she was definitely still attracted to him. His presence had awakened something in her that had slept for years, and the nearer he was to her, the stronger that something grew. Then, dancing with him again a little later, she had a sudden realization: she might love Neil; she was almost certain she did. But she _craved_ Vaughn. She wished it wasn’t so, and maybe if things were different with Neil it wouldn’t be… but for the time being, that’s the way it was.

It was a shock to her senses, like being struck by lightning or zapped by an electric fence. Perceiving a change in her, Vaughn looked down at her curiously, but he found her eyes veiled and inscrutable. She tore away mid-step, mumbling that she was thirsty, so he walked over with her to the bar to get drinks. He started to order her another glass of wine, but she stopped him and asked for a martini instead. Vaughn raised an eyebrow in surprise as he looked down at her. “When’d you get a taste for _those_?” he asked.

She shrugged. “I’ve never had one before. I just suddenly wanted to try one.”

“Yeah, well, watch out. They’re potent.”

Giving him an impudent grin as she took the glass from Nick, she chanted, “‘I like to drink martinis, two at the very most. Three, I’m under the table. Four, I’m under the—’”

“Rio! Hurry up and get over here!” Julia’s voice interrupted. “It’s time for the bouquet toss, and all single ladies are required to participate— _especially_ you!”

Handing her drink to Vaughn, she laughed and hurried over to where the other girls had gathered. They made an attractive group, as colorful in their finery as a bouquet themselves. Rio, in her golden dress, wedged between Natalie, dressed in teal, and Sabrina, wearing a pale blue gown. Behind her, Lily stood patiently in her exotic scarlet cheongsam, and a few of Julia’s and Elliot’s relatives stood on either side of her. Julia stood with her back to them, and with a shout, she chucked the flowers over her shoulder, turning quickly to see who would catch it. There was a scramble, particularly between Natalie and a pair of blondes that were Julia’s cousins, but they all came up empty handed. Instead, to everyone’s surprise—not least of all her own—the flowers landed in Rio’s hands.

“It’s not fair!” Natalie exclaimed, frowning at the pretty cluster of pink peonies, anemones, and ranunculus tied with a wide gold ribbon. “She wasn’t even _trying_ , and she _still_ caught it!” Julia’s cousins echoed her discontent, while Rio just stared at the bouquet.

“Calm yourself, Natalie,” Lily quietly admonished her. “It’s only in fun, it does not affect your fate or hers in any way. And your complaints are not appropriate for the joyful occasion of your brother’s marriage to Julia.”

Blushing, Natalie turned and walked back to stand with Pierre, who had watched the proceedings with some trepidation.

Starting as if from a dream, Rio hurried back to where Vaughn waited, dropping the bouquet on a nearby table. “Don’t you want it?” he asked as he handed her drink back to her.

She shook her head vigorously as she quickly drained her glass and ordered another. As Nick mixed it up, Vaughn watched her with a scowl. “I told you to watch out for those. They’re a lot stronger than they taste, and they taste pretty strong.”

“It’s okay, I’ve only had one. ‘Two at the very most,’ right? Though even three wouldn’t be _too_ bad. Four, though—forget it, especially since the host is my best friend’s husband!”

“Yeah, whatever. Keep in mind you’ve been drinking wine all night, too. And you’re already looking a mite unsteady on those spiky shoes of yours.”

His lecture was cut short, though, when Elliot called him up for the garter toss. He hesitated, then shrugged in irritation and made his way to the group of men gathered. Like Rio, he didn’t attempt to catch the garter belt, though unlike her, someone else did catch it. With a wide grin, Mark held up the bit of blue and white silk, turning to catch Sabrina’s eye with a wink as he did so.

Meanwhile, Rio again drained her glass and ordered another of the same. By the time Vaughn returned, she was already sipping it. Then Mirabelle called out that the newlyweds were departing, and she quickly downed the rest of it and went to say goodbye. Feeling suddenly unsteady, she grabbed onto Vaughn’s arm, and he looked at her in surprise. “You okay there?”

She nodded. “Jus… jus’ a little dizzy for a sec. No big deal.”

“No big deal, huh? You’re wasted, Rio.”

“Nuh-uh… jus… jus’ relaxed. An’ happy. Relaxy. I feel fine. Good. Reeeally good.”

“Right. Sure ya do.” She let go of his arm, sulking, and he grabbed her as she swayed and started to topple over. “I think you’d better just stick with me for now.”

“Can’t. Gotta go tell Julia g’night.” She giggled a little, then added, “Bet it’ll be a reeeal good night, too!”

“Hush up, Rio. You’re drunk as a skunk. If you’re going to say good night to her, fine—but don’t be crude about it.”

“Sure, sure. Classy as fuck, that’s me.” Then she wobbled and slipped down to the floor in a heap.

Julia had just turned her way to call out a farewell when Rio collapsed, and with a little cry, she darted forward. “Is she okay?” she asked Vaughn anxiously as he knelt down next to her.

“Yeah, she’s fine. Just had a little too much to drink. Don’t you fret, Julia. I’ll get her upstairs. You just go on and have a good time. And hey—congrats. Hope you’re both real happy together.”

* * *

 

With a grunt, Vaughn dropped Rio gently onto one side of her bed. He stretched his back as he looked down at her unconscious form, shaking his head. He’d carried her up two flights of stairs, from the lower level ballroom clear up to her suite on the second floor. She wasn’t exactly heavy, but right now she was dead weight, and that was a hell of a lot of stairs.

He went around to the other side of the bed and pulled the covers down, then again picked her up and set her on top of the cool, smooth sheets. As he was reaching for the covers to pull them back up over her, though, she stirred a little, and sighed. Then she opened her eyes and looked hazily up at him, and he was taken aback at the raw desire he saw there.

She flung her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her, smothering him with hungry kisses on his cheeks, his jaw, his neck, and finally his mouth, pressing her crimson lips to his. He tasted the remnants of juniper clinging to her tongue, then he drew back and stared at her.

Pulling him back down to her, she moaned into his ear, “Oh, goddess, I want you. I want you so badly. You don’t know… I _need_ you, _now_.” And she began to slide her fingers down his chest, fumbling at his shirt buttons as she nipped and sucked at his throat.

Her desire sparked a like need in him, and he nearly wept with relief and joy. This— _this_ was what he’d been hoping for and praying for and working for all those long, lonely years. But now, at last, he’d won her back, and that made all the worry and frustration and effort and longing worth it.

Responding eagerly to her caresses, he quickly pulled his shirt off, careless of the button or two that popped off in his haste. Rio reached up and ran her fingers lightly across his chest and stomach, and he groaned with the heat that rose to meet her touch until he felt as if he’d explode like a lit firecracker.

He knelt next to her, nuzzling her neck and kissing the softness of her throat as he ran his hand down her familiar curves, curves that he’d missed even more than he himself had realized until that moment.

Gathering her into his arms, he whispered into her ear, “Goddess, I love you so much, Rio. You mean everything to me.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck again and looked up at him with half-lidded eyes. “I’ve waited so long for this. I love you, Neil.”

Vaughn froze, horrified, feeling as though he’d just been doused in ice water. Then he pulled her arms from around his neck and backed away, looking down at her with agony in his eyes.

It was all a mistake. She _didn’t_ want him back. In her drunken confusion, she had mistaken her old lover for her new. Nothing more.

He stood and stared down at her, watching as her eyelids fluttered and closed as she slipped into slumber. Then he gently pulled the covers over her, picked up his shirt and slowly walked to the door, his shoulders slumped. As he put his hand on the doorknob, he heard her sigh in her sleep, “Vaughn… oh, Vaughn….”

Then he removed his hand from the doorknob and turned around.


	16. Sparks

Rio sat up and instantly clutched her head with one hand and her stomach with the other. “Ohh, goddess. What the hell happened last night?” She remembered martinis, but not much after that. She’d dreamed… very odd dreams, too. Very… very _vivid_ dreams. About her and Neil, she remembered, flushing a little at the recollection, although she vaguely recalled Vaughn appearing in some of them, too. Shaking her head to clear it, she looked around, squinting to help her bleary eyes to focus.

She spotted her dress draped over the back of the scarlet chaise, then felt her necklace slide across her collarbone. Wondering why she hadn’t finished undressing, she reached up and fumbled with the clasp. After a few tries, she managed to remove it, and she dropped it onto the table next to the bed. But when she went to pull off her earrings, she found one was missing. “Damn it,” she said, peering around the room. “How am I going to find a ruby and gold earring in _this_ room?” She slid out of bed and felt around, but there was no sign of it among the sheets and cushions.

“Shit,” she groaned, then saw that it was late morning. She staggered off to take a quick shower, then pulled on shorts and a tank top and her boots before stumbling down the stairs to the lobby.

Carol was at the desk as usual, and she slumped across the counter, groaning. “Rough night?” the innkeeper asked cheerfully. “You’re not the only one, I hear. Why, one fellow woke up at 3:00 this morning—he’d passed out against a tree outside! He was drenched in dew and positively green when he came pounding on my door. He’d even managed to lock himself out of his room.” She shook her head at the memory.

“Uhh, yeah. Guess so. The last thing I remember is drinking martinis. I should’ve listened to Vaughn. He tried to warn me about them, but I was too stubborn. Now I’m paying for it.”

“What you need is a hair of the dog, dearie. Just wait here, I’ll be right back.” Carol trotted back towards her rooms, then emerged a few minutes later with a tall glass of something red. “Try it. It’s a Bloody Mary. Full of vitamins and just a teeeensy bit of vodka. You’ll feel better in no time, I promise.”

Rio took the glass and sipped it gingerly, relieved that it didn’t taste half bad. As she sipped the drink, she looked over at her landlady’s beaming face. “Oh, by the way, I seem to have lost an earring last night. No idea where it could be, since I don’t really remember much of anything. But it’s a gold earring with a square ruby, and tiny little diamonds all around the ruby and on the gold. Here, this is the other one,” she said, then dug into her pocket and pulled out the glittering object.

Peering at it over her glasses, Carole exclaimed, “Oh, how lovely!”

“Yes, they were my mother’s. Her rubies were about the only really fine jewelry she had, besides her wedding ring. They mean a lot to me because of that.”

“Well, then, isn’t it lucky that I’ve already found its mate!” Carol said, smiling as she bent down to reach beneath the counter.

“You _did_? Oh, that’s wonderful! I’m so, so grateful!” Rio exclaimed as Carol dropped the earring into her hand. “Wherever did you find it?”

“Well, that’s the funny thing,” Carol said, her eyes sparkling. “I found it when I went to make up Vaughn’s bed a short while ago, lying there on the floor next to the bed.”

Rio stared at her openmouthed as the color drained from her face.

* * *

 

Vaughn took another bite of his porridge, chewing slowly as he stared blankly out the window. His mind was elsewhere, though, and he didn’t notice the other patrons coming and going, nor the passersby on the street outside.

That is, until someone bellowed his name.

“Vaughn!” Rio screeched as she tore into the diner. “What the _hell_ did you _do_?” She came to a stop before him, her face flushed, her eyes snapping, breathing hard as she glared at him.

He swallowed his bite and looked calmly up at her. “Keep it down, Rio. I’m eating, for one thing. For another, in case you didn’t notice, we’re not alone. Sit down and eat something. You’ll feel better afterwards.”

“I don’t care _who_ hears me. I was _drunk_ , dammit! How _could_ you?”

“How could I _what_?” he glared up at her, narrowing his eyes.

“Take advantage of me like that!”

Vaughn vaulted out of his seat, his eyes flashing as he slammed his hands down on the table. “Listen to me, and listen closely. I don’t know what the _hell_ you’re thinking, but I am _not_ a rapist. I didn’t lay a goddessdamn finger on you, except to carry your sorry, drunken ass up to your room before going quietly to my own.”

Rio stared up at him, dumbfounded. “But… but… Carol found my earring on your floor… and I was _naked_ when I woke up… and I had all these… these _dreams_ , and they seemed so _real_ —too real to be _just_ dreams…!”

“Look, I don’t know how your earring got on my floor, but my guess is that it got tangled in my hair _when you came on to me_. Yep, you heard me right. But it wasn’t really me you wanted, after all, so I left. I fetched Alisa, who was still downstairs helping with the cleanup, and _she_ got you out of your clothes. Only she couldn’t find any pajamas for you, so she just left you naked. Embarrassed the hell out of her, too. I didn’t tell her you just don’t bother with them.

“As for your dreams… sorry to throw cold water on your hopes there, Rio, but that’s _all_ they were. Just dreams. I can’t help what you dream about me or anyone else. But to come tearing in here foaming at the mouth, accusing me of that… is _that_ what you think of me? That I’d stoop to takin’ you while you’re unconscious?”

Vaughn straightened up, staring coolly at her as he pulled his hat down low. Then he turned and walked away without so much as a glance back. As he pushed open the door, he paused for a moment. “I’m real disappointed in you, Rio. You of all people oughta know me better than that.” And then he was gone, and Rio was left standing there, her cheeks red with mortification as all eyes turned to stare at her.

* * *

 

Shortly before noon on Tuesday, Rio and Vaughn straggled into Echo Village on their horses, tired, dusty, and disheveled. But they were home, and it felt good to be back.

The day before, they had caught the afternoon ferry back to the mainland, in order to be on time for the night train that would take them north as they retraced their steps homeward. The ferry ride had been awkward and silent, Vaughn still too angry to speak to her, and Rio too aghast at her recklessness to breach the silence.

The night train had made a scheduled stop of forty minutes at a station halfway through their journey, and a few of the passengers took advantage of the break to exit the train and stretch their legs. Rio had seized the opportunity to coax Vaughn outside to take a walk with her. Though disgruntled and tired and half-asleep, he had reluctantly agreed, unwilling to let her walk around a strange station alone at night despite his outrage.

Dragging him over to a relatively isolated corner of the station, Rio turned and looked at him. Swallowing her pride with an audible gulp, she said, “Vaughn, I… want to apologize to you for how I behaved earlier. I know it’s no excuse, but I was hungover and not thinking clearly, so when Carol said that she’d found my earring next to your bed, it just seemed like it all fell into place, and I… I panicked. If I’d just stopped to think… I _know_ you wouldn’t do anything like that. I’m sorry, Vaughn, really, really sorry for what I said and for how I said it. I was such an idiot. Can you forgive me?”

He stared down at her, his amethyst eyes cold and unreadable as she looked up anxiously into them, unconsciously holding her breath as she waited for his response. Finally he sighed and turned away. “You know I can’t stay mad at you, Rio. It was real shitty of you, especially going and making a scene like that in front of half the town. But yeah… I forgive you. Just don’t be so quick to jump to conclusions, okay? You’re too impetuous, Rio, and someday you’re gonna land yourself in a heap of misery because of it.”

Looking chastened, Rio nodded her head, and Vaughn leaned down and kissed her forehead. “There, now. Don’t you cry over it. It’s not like I can get all high and mighty, not after some of the stunts I’ve pulled. Though I reckon we’re a little more even now.”

Rio hiccupped and choked a little on a strange little half-laugh. Then she burst into tears, to Vaughn’s amazement, sinking to the cold cement floor as she sobbed.

“Rio? What is it? Hey now, I said I forgive you. C’mon, it’s not _that_ bad!” he said, dropping down next to her and awkwardly stroking her hair.

She shook her head. “It’s not _that_ ,” she said, her voice muffled by her hands over her face.

“Then what the hell _is_ it?” he asked, knocking his hat back and staring at her. She just shook her head, crying even harder. He sat down and stretched his legs out. “All right, look, just pretend I’m Julia or somethin’ and tell me what’s buggin’ you. It’s not like you to cry over _nothing_.”

“It… It’s Neil,” she croaked after a moment’s hesitation, and Vaughn felt himself stiffen up automatically. Forcing his shoulders and spine to relax, he said, somewhat guardedly, “What _about_ Neil?”

“I… _think_ I love him. But I can’t tell if he loves me, too. I can’t tell _anything_ about him. I’ve never met a man like that, a man that seems interested in me but then pushes me away and has no interest in more than just… holding hands, I guess. And I’m so _frustrated_ I could just scream. I wouldn’t even mind all the waiting and waiting and _waiting_ if I was sure I was getting somewhere with him. But I don’t know! I want _more_ from him—I _need_ more. Julia asked me if I was really all right with all that waiting, and I told her I was… but I’m not! Not like this, not when I can’t make out what’s up with him. I mean, does he find me unattractive? Is he bored with me? Or is he just so damn shy that in twenty years we’ll still be doing nothing more than holding hands and saying goodnight on the doorstep with no more than a quick kiss on the cheek? I can’t live like that—I just _can’t_! It’s not like I’m a man-eater or anything, but… well, it’s been a long time since you and I broke up. And Neil and I’ve been dating for quite a while now. So… the tension’s been building up, and it’s starting to get to me, I guess.”

She sniffled and wiped her sleeve across her eyes, then looked over at Vaughn with a half smile. He sat by her, still stroking her hair, watching her impassively. “I’m sorry,” she said after a moment. “I shouldn’t have dumped all that on you, I mean under the circumstances and all. It’s just really been eating at me lately. But I guess, when I think about it, you probably kind of feel the same way right now, huh?”

Pulling his hand back, Vaughn leaned back against the station wall and closed his eyes. “Reckon you could say that.” Just then, they heard the call to board, and they scrambled to their feet. As Rio turned to hurry out of the station, Vaughn grabbed her arm. “Listen. I don’t know what’s going on with you and Neil. But if he tears you up like this, if he’s not making you feel happy and loved and wanted… well, at best, he’s an idiot. Life is too short to waste your time on someone who makes you feel so bad. And I’m _not_ just saying that in hopes that you’ll come back to me. I mean it.”

She blinked at him a couple of times, staring at him as she absorbed his words. Then she smiled. “Thanks, Vaughn.” And then they ran for the train, jumping on board just as it began to move.

* * *

 

As they rode down the long driveway towards the barn, Iroha emerged from the orchard, a large bushel of fresh fruit in her arms. She was very strong, being a blacksmith, and she carried the heavy basket with ease. She spotted them, and hurried towards them as they waved to her. They rode on into the barn, and after dropping the basket of fruit on the doorstep, Iroha joined them there.

They were chatting in a lively manner that belied their exhausted appearance as she hurried over to greet them where they stood tending their horses. After giving Rio a hug, she looked back and forth, from one to the other. “There has been a change of some sort between you,” she said, after a moment’s contemplation.

“Yeah, well, I guess you could say we kind of cleared the air over one or two things. So I think we’re getting along a little better now than before we left. Wouldn’t you say so, Vaughn?” Rio asked, turning with a smile to him.

“Reckon so,” he agreed, not pausing as he wiped down his sweaty, dusty gelding.

“So then, this return to your former, mutual home has been a catalyst of sorts,” Iroha mused.

“A catalyst?” Rio asked, pausing for a moment to look at her friend in confusion.

“Yes. A thing that brings about some change without being altered itself. In this case, it would appear that returning to the islands caused some sort of a reaction between you, and that the result of that reaction is that some of your previous conflict has been resolved. Or is there more to it than that?”

Flushing and frowning at her friend, Rio replied, “No, there’s nothing more. Honestly, Iroha, are you seriously suggesting I cheated on Neil?”

Raising an eyebrow at her, Iroha replied quietly, “No, of course I am not. But I find it very interesting that of all the conclusions you might have drawn from my words, _that_ was the one first and foremost on your mind.” Then she turned and left, leaving Rio standing there with her mouth hanging open and her cheeks red while Vaughn just slowly shook his head at her.

* * *

 

Neil glanced at his watch impatiently. She wasn’t late— _yet_ —but he still thought she’d be here before now. He knew they’d returned in plenty of time; he’d seen Vaughn saunter past his house earlier in the day, his pack slung over his shoulder and whistling a tune as he headed towards the inn. But he hadn’t seen any sign of Rio so far.

The festival grounds began to fill up with onlookers, eager for the evening’s entertainment to begin. Somewhere behind him, he could hear Allen’s voice, smooth as silk, joined in conversation with both Tina and Yuri.

A few minutes later, Rod slowly wandered in the gate, nodding at him as he went, the very picture of dejection—his hands crammed into his pockets, shoulders hunched, head down. “Hey, where’s Felicity?” Allen called out to him as he headed towards him, the girls trailing along behind.

“Sick,” Rod sighed. “She woke up with a bad cold and laryngitis. She was going to try to come anyway, but I told her the cool night air would just make her throat worse and that she should stay in bed and rest.”

“What a pity. Such a lovely night for fireworks, too. Well, I suppose I can allow you the pleasure of _my_ company instead,” Allen replied. Then, looking over at Neil, he said, “And you? Where’s _your_ ladylove tonight? Isn’t she attending? Too worn out from her vacation with her old flame?”

Neil scowled at him with thinly-veiled hostility. He knew Allen was just trying to get a rise out of him, and goddess he was good at that, but damn it, that was a low blow even for him. He only shrugged, though, and said, “I don’t know. She said she’d meet me here, so I guess she’ll be here soon.”

As he spoke, he spotted Vaughn sauntering in the gate, pausing for a word with Dunhill in passing. “Well,” Allen called cheerfully as Vaughn headed their way, “at least you can rule out _one_ possible cause of delay now.”

Neil turned angrily towards Allen, but just then he heard Rio’s voice calling out a greeting to Dunhill as she entered the grounds. Allen smirked, and Rod gave a long, low whistle. Spinning around, Neil felt his face redden as he spotted her hurrying towards him. A quick glance back over his shoulder showed him that all the guys were staring, even Sanjay. He hadn’t even known Sanjay _liked_ girls until that moment.

“I’m sorry if I’m a little bit late,” she called as she ran up to him. “I hope you weren’t waiting long? I had a little trouble with my outfit.”

“ _What_ outfit?” he snapped as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her quickly away from the crowds, glaring at Allen and Vaughn as he passed them, back towards the far side of the festival grounds. He gritted his teeth as he heard a few catcalls and jeers come from the clusters of people they passed, and his awareness of Rio’s confusion at his behavior only worsened his temper.

The festival grounds were bounded on three sides by a low wooden rail fence, but beyond the fence lay the mixed broadleaf and conifer forest that covered the mountains and hills in the area. Numerous trails led from the grounds up through the woods, many to small clearings ideal for viewing the fireworks in seclusion from the crowds—as well as for other activities that required privacy from prying eyes.

Neil hopped over the fence at the back, tugging Rio over with him. He picked one of the trails and started up it, stalking through the light undergrowth as he pulled her along behind him. A few minutes later, and they reached one of the clearings, and Neil let go of her, dropping to the ground and scowling up at her.

“What is it? What’s wrong? Are you mad that I was a little late? I’m really sorry, but I—”

“It’s not because you were late.”

Rio sat down next to him on the grass. “Well… then what is it? Is it because I didn’t come and say hi to you as soon as I got home? I just had so much to do, and I thought we’d agreed—”

“That’s not it.”

“Well, then what the hell _is_ it?” she asked in frustration.

Neil jumped up again and paced around the small clearing. “It’s… it’s that _garbage_ you’re wearing. I mean, they hardly count as clothes, even. You can see right through those tops, and those shorts! I guess now no one will need to wonder what kind of underwear you wear—if you’re even wearing any!”

Rio’s jaw dropped. “ _What_? You… you’re mad at me because you don’t like the way I _dress_?”

“I don’t like that you show off your body to anyone and everyone in town, that’s what. It makes you look cheap. Trashy. Listen, these past few weeks, I’ve learned that I don’t know you as well as I thought I did. I mean, you used to be shacked up with Vaughn, you even had a kid with him… and who _knows_ what else you’ve been hiding from me. I thought you were, I dunno… a little less well-traveled, I guess. But anyway, why do you even _want_ to dress like that? You’re already taken, right? So you shouldn’t be trying to get the other guys to look at you like that. So why _do_ you?”

Rio sprang up to her feet, her eyes flashing, her cheeks scarlet, and her voice shaking as she replied, “Maybe because _you_ won’t!” Then she turned and ran swiftly down the hill, vanishing into the woods.

Neil stared after her, dumbfounded, then shouted, “Rio! _Hey_ , come back here! I didn’t mean….” But the only answer was the rustling overhead as a startled songbird flew away, scolding him for his harsh words.

* * *

 

As they stood around waiting for the sky to darken enough for the show to begin, Allen turned to make some comment to Rod and Vaughn, when suddenly Rio flew past them and out the gate. The three men stared after her, startled, and Rod asked in a low voice, “Was she… was she _crying_? I thought I heard crying!”

“Me, too,” Vaughn said, grimly, as he turned and looked in the direction from which she’d come. Sure enough, a few minutes later Neil came stumbling out of the woods.

Up until then, no one had ever seen Vaughn move at any but a slow pace—strolling, sauntering, lounging around. So both Rod and Allen—not to mention a number of others nearby—were astonished by the speed with which he raced to the back of the field, arriving just as Neil swung a leg over the top rail of the fence.

Grabbing the younger man by his coat collar, Vaughn growled, “What did you _do_ to her?”

Swaying a little from the impact, Neil glared at him and knocked his hands away. “Fuck off. It’s none of your business, so get the hell out of my face.”

“Listen, son, and listen real good,” Vaughn said, narrowing his eyes and looming over him. “If you think for one second that I’m just going to stand by and let you—or _anyone_ —hurt that girl, you’re sorely mistaken. She’s suffered enough as it is, and she deserves a hell of a lot better. Now _what did you do_?”  


Allen and Rod came trotting up just then, looking concerned. “Yeah, I don’t know what happened, buddy, but I’ve never seen Rio so upset. What’s going on?” Rod asked, looking worried.

“Look, I just told her that I wished she’d dress a little less… trampy, I guess. That’s all.” Seeing the bare-faced disbelief that confronted him from all three men, he sighed and added, “And I said that I was learning that I don’t know her as well as I thought I did—I thought she was a little, you know… less experienced.”

“Experienced?” Allen said, raising an eyebrow.

“I guess ‘well-traveled’ was the word I used. I was thinking kind of like the old phrase about the village bicycle—that’s what my folks used to say.”

“Village bicycle?” Rod asked, blinking in confusion.

“My mother would say of girls she thought were easy or cheap that they were like the village bicycle—everybody had a ride. Anyway, then I said I didn’t know why she wanted to try to get other guys to pay attention to her anyway when she already has me, and she said something about it being because I wouldn’t. Then she took off running. That’s all there is to it. Now let me go!”

“Oh, I see. So you called your girlfriend a cheap whore, and you’re surprised that she ran off crying? For fuck’s sake, Neil, I’m surprised, too—surprised she didn’t beat the living daylights out of you,” Allen said, incredulously.

Vaughn was less subtle. He dragged Neil over to the barn and slammed him back against the wall. Leaning down into his face, his purple eyes nearly crimson with rage, he hissed, “Listen, you little fuckwad, Rio is better than you will _ever_ deserve. She is _not_ a whore, or a tramp, or any of the other pretty names you called her. She’s a decent, kind, and _passionate_ woman, and she’s only dressing like that for _you_ —to get _your_ attention, though goddess knows why she wants it.”

“Yeah? And how much do _you_ really know about her?” Neil snapped, struggling to break free of his grasp.

“I know that I was her first, and from the way she’s practically shooting sparks, I can guarantee there hasn’t been anyone since. Now maybe you don’t approve that she had been with someone before you. Maybe you don’t like to think that someone—especially _me_ —has been where _you’re_ too scared to go. But you know what? _Tough shit_. If you love her—hell, if you even just _like_ her—you gotta take her as she is. Just like she accepts _you_ , with all _your_ flaws. And goddess, there seems to be no end to _that_ list. Now you’d best be on your way and make things right with her, because I swear if you make her cry like that again, I’m gonna beat you so hard your _grandkids_ will be born with black eyes. Got that?”

Then he released Neil with a shove, and with one last disdainful glare, he turned and stalked away, out the gate and down the empty streets.

Allen gave a snort of laughter. “Well, that was one hell of a fuck-up, even for you. Good luck! And hey, if she dumps you, I’d be happy to let _you_ be _my_ girlfriend instead!” Then he, too, strolled off shaking his head. Rod just stared at Neil for a moment, not saying anything but with a deeply disappointed look in his eyes before he turned and followed Allen.


	17. Deviate

The grand finale exploded against the blackness of the night sky with a dazzling array of colors that slowly drifted to the earth like a Technicolor snowstorm amid cries of delight and amazement. As the last traces of smoke dissipated, so too did all the onlookers, returning to their homes and thence to their beds. All but one, that is, and he paced the summit of the mountain in solitude long after the last windows in the village darkened.

Finally, as the slender moon reached the apex of its nightly progression, he turned and strode determinedly back down the mountain, crossing the river into the town and turning down the long driveway just south of the village. He passed a few outbuildings and heard a series of muffled barks from one of them. He glanced at the house, but the windows were dark. Or nearly so—after a moment, he could make out a dim, flickering light through the curtains.

Stepping up onto the front porch, he paused for a moment, listening. Hesitantly, he reached out a hand to knock, hesitated, then withdrew his hand as he glanced again at the windows and listened. Hearing only the chirping of crickets and a chorus of solemn bullfrogs in the distance, he slowly began to leave. Then a dull bang, like a drawer or cupboard being slammed shut, startled him, and he quickly turned back to the door. Taking a deep breath, he reached out again and quickly knocked on the door.

“Please go away,” a hoarse voice croaked a moment later. “Just leave me alone.”

“Rio?” he called. “Rio, let me in. I want to talk.”

There was a long pause, then just as he was opening his mouth to call out to her again, the door opened. Rio stood there, wearing baggy old sweatpants and a faded t-shirt, a carton of ice cream in one hand and a spoon in the other. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and she looked as though she had been crying very recently. The house behind her was dark, the only light coming from a few lit candles on the coffee table in the living room.

“Funny, I don’t much feel like talking to you,” she commented, her voice raspy, as she stood in the doorway and stared at him.

“Please, Rio. I… I’m sorry for what I said earlier. I didn’t mean….”

“Didn’t mean what? Didn’t mean to call me a tramp? Didn’t mean to imply that I’m some kind of sex kitten desperate for attention? You’ll have to clarify a little, because I’m not sure what you’re suggesting you said by accident.”

“I… Can I come in? Please?” he asked, nervously shifting on the doorstep.

She blew impatiently into her hair, which was hanging down over her face and partly obscuring it. “You…. Oh, whatever. Come in, I guess.” She turned and slouched back into the house, dropping heavily onto the sofa. She dug into the carton of ice cream and popped a large spoonful into her mouth, turning to glare as he followed her, closing the door behind him. He sat on the sofa beside her and stared down at his feet, not saying anything.

After a few minutes, she rasped, “I thought you wanted to talk.”

He started slightly, then reddened and cleared his throat, not looking at her. “Umm, yeah. Yeah, I do. I’m… I’m just not sure where to start.”

“Well, let’s see. You haven’t yet criticized my hair or my weight, or my work ethic, or my cooking or housekeeping or—”

“Please don’t, Rio. I’m really sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I… it was wrong to say those things to you.”

“Is that what you really think of me?” she asked, eying him guardedly as she scooped out another spoonful of ice cream.

“No! No, I really don’t. I mean… well, I guess the way you dress does bother me sometimes. It makes me mad when other guys stare at you and talk about you. But I didn’t mean it the way it came out, honest. I… I sounded like my parents. And I _hate_ that.”

“I can’t help it when others stare, you know. And I’m sure as hell not going to dress like a nun just to keep them from doing so, especially in the middle of summer. I’m not looking for the attention, but it doesn’t really bother me, either. I just don’t care what they think, I guess. But _you_ —that’s different. Hearing you say things like that about me, to my face….”

“I know. I’m sorry.” Neil sighed deeply, leaning forward and resting his forehead on his hands. “Look, I know I’ve never really told you about my family. Maybe… maybe if I do, it’ll help make sense of some of the stupid things I do and say. I mean, if you want to know… and if you want to listen….”

She looked at him speculatively for a moment, then stood up and walked out to the kitchen, flipping on a lamp as she passed. She returned the ice cream to the freezer, then turned and looked over at him. “Drink? Coffee? Tea?”

“Ummm, I guess… maybe a drink would be good. I’m… kind of nervous,” he admitted.

“I’ve got some bourbon, is that okay?” He nodded, and she poured some into a glass, then after a moment’s hesitation, got a second glass and poured out another measure. She brought the glasses out, handed one to him, then sat back down on the sofa, tucking her feet up beneath her as she took a sip and winced slightly at the strong taste. She wasn’t accustomed to drinking it neat.

Neil took a couple of slow sips of his drink, staring down at the floor with unseeing eyes. Then he set his glass down and turned to Rio. “A-anyway. So… I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned my family to you at all, have I? My parents live in a little town in a valley on the other side of the mountains, but a long ways north of here. I have an older sister, but she’s so much older, I was practically an only child growing up. She was fourteen when I was born, so by the time I started school, she’d already graduated and was working. She moved out of the house when I was still just a kid—around nine, I think. But even though she was so much older than me, I adored her and looked up to her. She’s a terrific person. You… you’d probably really like her. She was friendly and outgoing and fun-loving and smart. Like you.

“Anyway, I guess she’d gotten into some trouble when she was in her teens—got pregnant, I mean. She ended up losing the baby, but my parents were… well, they never forgave her. They were super strict and… and rigid in their views. They always looked down on her, as far back as I can remember. And they were determined to make sure I didn’t repeat her mistakes. So ever since I was little, they’d go on about how women were so awful and wicked and would tempt me into doing bad things, and that I had to just stay away from them. I know it sounds strange, but even my mother was like that. They wouldn’t let me play with any of the little girls in the area, or go to their parties. Then after a while, they just kept me home all the time except for school. To protect me from bad influences, they said. My sister tried to get them to let me go out to play with other kids, but then one day they got into a huge fight about it. That’s when she moved out. They called her… oh, all kinds of terrible things—slut, whore, no-good tramp, worthless… you get the idea. And I stood up for her, told them to stop saying those things. I didn’t know what most of them meant back then, but I knew that they were saying terrible things about her, and I didn’t believe any of it could be true. She _wasn’t_ a bad person, not at all.

“Dad smacked me for my interference—hard enough that I got a bloody nose and had a bruise on my face for a week or so after that. He told me to shut my trap, that I was a stupid kid who didn’t know what I was talking about and that I’d better learn some respect and obedience.

“I left their house as soon as I finished high school, and I haven’t spoken to them since. I haven’t talked to my sister, either, even though I actually miss _her_. I don’t know why, but she ended up settling down in that same town, not all that far from my parents’ house—she and her husband. She got married just before I left. As far as I know, she hasn’t talked to them at all since she left.

“The… the pathetic thing is, I didn’t even agree with any of their crap. I mean, some of it was so obviously wrong, I just didn’t believe any of it. But… but when I get upset, or when something gets under my skin… especially something concerning _you_ … all of that bullshit they tried to teach me kind of rears its ugly head. I don’t believe it, but… but it’s still lurking somewhere inside me, waiting for a chance to take over my mouth and my brain.

“So… now you know. I know it doesn’t excuse what I said, but I honestly don’t believe the crap I was spewing. I… I think you’re an amazing person, and I’ve been kicking myself all night for hurting you like that. That’s the _last_ thing I want to do.

“And I know… I know you want us to get… to get closer. But… growing up the way I did, it’s not easy for me. I might not _believe_ what they tried to teach me, but it still keeps me from… you know. I just kind of freeze up. I… I feel ashamed for feeling the way I do about you, then I get embarrassed and just… kind of panic.

“So I guess… I’m asking if you can be patient with me. I’m trying, and I’ve never before even wanted to try. I’d never met anyone before who made me _want_ to try, until I met you. But if you can’t—or if you don’t want to—wait for me, I’ll understand. I… I don’t want you to go, Rio. But if you don’t want to stay with me, if you’ll be happier with someone else, I won’t stop you from leaving. Even… even if you go back to… to _him_. I know I’m kind of a mess, and it’s not fair for me to expect you to deal with my shit.”

He finished his drink, staring at the floor still, his cheeks bright red with embarrassment as he waited for her to say something— _anything_.

She sipped her drink as she stared at his profile, and she thought. She thought back over the years she’d lived in the town, thought back to their serendipitous meeting a week or two after her arrival, the slow development of their friendship, her increasing attraction to him and her recent frustration.

For contrast, she also thought back over her relationship with Vaughn— _their_ meeting and friendship and romance and breakup. And she realized what her answer to Neil had to be.

She set her glass down and reached over, turning his face so that she could look at him.

“Neil… I’m glad you told me those things about you, and I appreciate your honesty. I’m sure it wasn’t easy to tell me about your past. It does make some of your actions and the things that you say a little more comprehensible. But you have to understand that it’s hard for me, too. I’m… I guess I’m kind of needy in that respect. I need someone who not just loves me, but who can show me and tell me so, who makes me feel glad to be with him. Someone that makes me feel loved and wanted and desirable and cherished. I don’t know whether that’s good or bad, but it’s what I need. I’m sure you can understand that I haven’t been getting that from you. I’ve been trying to be patient, but it’s starting to wear a little thin. I don’t just _want_ more—I _need_ more.”

She sighed and looked away, missing the crestfallen look in Neil’s eyes as she closed her eyes for a moment. “So now you’re asking me to be patient—to keep on waiting for you indefinitely in the hopes that things will get better, maybe, someday. I… I honestly don’t know if I can do that.

“But,” she said turning again to look him in the eyes, “I’m willing to try.”

Then she leaned forward and kissed him.


	18. Exhibition

It was damned hot for a fall morning, Vaughn thought to himself as he looked up at the vividly blue sky and wiped the sweat trickling down his neck. He’d nearly worked himself into a heatstroke, but at least he’d managed to finish all his chores just in time for lunch, even though Rio was fixing it early due to another festival. He’d never been to a town with so damned many festivals, he thought sourly as he trudged back to the farmhouse. He reached it just as Rio vaulted over the pasture fence, racing towards the porch in spite of the heat. As she ran up, breathless, her shirt and hair damp with sweat, she grinned at him and he returned her smile. She’d never been one to sit still, and she was always at her best when she had plenty to keep her busy.

She threw together a couple of sandwiches, grabbed some fruit from the fridge, and opened a jar of pickles. She poured two tall glasses of iced tea, and they went outside to sit on the shady porch to eat, hoping for a little breeze to blow up from the river. Rio wolfed her meal and gulped her tea quickly, finishing her meal well before Vaughn. Standing up, she looked at him apologetically. “If you’ll excuse me, Vaughn, I really need to get cleaned up and ready for the festival. I have to at least _try_ to look halfway decent when I’m competing.”

Vaughn shook his head slowly as he stared up at her, a half smile curling into one corner of his mouth. “Goddess, Rio. You look more than halfway decent _now_. You just never could see it.”

She rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue at him, though she blushed at the compliment. As she hurried back into the house, he called after her, “I’m going to go back to the inn to take a quick shower myself as soon as I’m through. I’ll see you at the festival.”

“Okay, I’ll be there in an hour or so!” she shouted from the back of the house, and he settled back down to finish his lunch before going on his way.

* * *

 

Vaughn strolled up to the gate just as Rio was coming along the road, leading a large Holstein cow behind her. He did a double take when he saw her, and said, “What the _hell_? How can you stand to wear _that_ in this weather? You’re gonna give yourself a heat stroke, you know.”

She shrugged, wiping a trickle of sweat from her face as she stopped before Dunhill’s table to register her cow for the competition. “I’ll be fine. Really. I’m used to it.” Then she turned to Dunhill, who slid the entry paperwork across the table for her to fill in.

Vaughn said, “Well, whatever then. I guess you know what you’re doing. I’m gonna go take a look around. Good luck.” She nodded and turned her attention to the forms. Hesitating just a moment as he scanned the crowd, Vaughn took a deep breath and went on in. Although he’d been in the village for a while now, he wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to the number of people these festivals seemed to draw.

It still surprised him, even though he’d been to few festivals there by now. And judging by the number of people milling around the grounds, the Cow Festival was one of the town’s most popular events. Spotting Allen and Rod standing together talking nearby, he sauntered over.

“Hey, what’s with Rio’s get-up? What the hell is she thinking, wearing something like that in this heat?” Vaughn asked, looking back to where she bent over the table, filling in paperwork, fanning herself with her cap.

“Can’t you guess?” Allen asked, raising an eyebrow and smirking in amusement.

“Nope. I wouldn’t ask if I could,” Vaughn said, scowling.

“Well, just think about it. What kind of festival is this? And who is she currently locking lips with? You get it now?”

Vaughn scowled at the phrase ‘locking lips’, but shrugged. “Don’t see what difference it makes anyhow.”

Rod spoke up in his chipper voice. “Well, it’s like this. When she first moved here and started entering competitions, no one really minded how she dressed, because she lost anyway. She could have been naked and no one would have complained. But before the year was over, she started to win—and win pretty consistently. Now, no one really thought anything of it when it was crops that were being shown, seeing that Emma judges those festivals. But the first time she won an _animal_ festival—in fact, I think it was the cow festival, wasn’t it, Allen?—some old biddy made a big ol’ fuss, claiming she only won because she was young and pretty and showing more skin than was decent. Which of course she wasn’t.”

“No one believed her, naturally,” Allen continued. “But it wasn’t very nice for Rio, especially after all her hard work. Then, once she and Neil started dating—”

“Since Neil’s the animal judge and all—” Rod interrupted.

“She felt like she had to do _something_ to try to alleviate some of the gossip. It bothered her enough as it was, but she didn’t want Neil to be affected by it any more than could be helped. He’s an excellent judge, and she didn’t want to jeopardize that. Naturally, some people _still_ grumble just because they’re dating, but nevertheless she makes an effort to show as little skin as possible at the animal competitions, no matter what the weather.”

“Well, she’s succeeded. She looks like a biker or somethin’,” he said, eying her crimson jeans, black leather boots, jacket, and gloves, and her studded black leather belt and hat.

“Yes, she does a bit, doesn’t she? But at least no one accuses her of dressing too provocatively now,” Allen said with a smirk.

“Maybe so, but she’s _still_ damn sexy,” Vaughn said, shaking his head as he watched Rio leading her cow off towards the stock barn along one side of the grounds. On the opposite side was a community hall of sorts, and the show stage was set up in between and near the back of the grounds. To one side of the stage was the judge’s table, where Neil was just taking a seat as Dunhill sauntered up to open the festivities and announce the first competition.

Rio’s cow wasn’t among the entrants, but then he didn’t reckon she’d be showing in the beginner class anyway. He gave the heifers lined up on the stage a quick look over from his vantage point—they were young and seemed unnerved by the crowds. Since he couldn’t very well inspect them personally while they were being judged, he instead turned and headed to the barn to take a look at the remaining cattle.

Inside the barn, another eight cows and heifers were waiting their turns, including Rio’s entry, Bessie. He strolled over to inspect the stall, and gave a satisfied grunt. It wasn’t outstanding, but it would do. It was clean, anyway, and the animals had hay and fresh water. He reached out a hand to stroke her cheek and smiled as she leaned slightly into his caress. Most of his genuine smiles were reserved for animals, though Rio had succeeded in coaxing a fair number from him—back before she left and took all the sunshine with her. Then the thought that she might never return to him wiped the smile from his face, and he turned and strolled somberly out of the barn.

He didn’t understand why she’d stuck with that idiot after the night of the summer fireworks. Neil had even admitted to saying some terrible things to her—things that no man should say to the woman he loved. He had been sure that would be the final straw, that she would never forgive and forget. Conversely, even though he’d been hoping and waiting for just such a division between them, when it actually happened, he wasn’t pleased at all. He’d been mad as hell at that kid’s sheer idiocy, and it had taken every ounce of his self-control not to beat the shit out of him on the spot. Then the following night he’d seen them together at the restaurant, smiling and chatting cozily over their meal as if nothing had ever happened.

When he exited the barn, Dunhill was just announcing the winner of the beginner’s class—a lively little Jersey heifer named Bunny of all things. Neil stood solemnly next to the owner, a cute young woman with fluffy golden curls and dimples who giggled and simpered when he congratulated her on her win. She flirted shamelessly with him, even though he was oblivious to her attempts. Which really didn’t surprise Vaughn one little bit.

* * *

 

Vaughn’s restless pacing off to the side caught Neil’s attention as he handed the winner her prizes, causing him to lose his place in his pat congratulatory speech for a fraction of a second. He quickly recovered, though the girl looked startled when she caught a lingering trace of hostility in his eyes before he could compose himself. He flushed slightly, and with a final, solemn exhortation to her to continue to improve her skills, he turned and stalked stiffly back to his seat.

The next group was the intermediate class, then finally it was time to judge the advanced class—including Rio’s entry. Soon the competitors filed out of the barn, leading their cattle to the stage where they lined up in a tidy row facing the crowd. Rio held her cow’s halter, whispering to her as she gently stroked her neck. Rising from his seat, Neil thought to himself that she really had a talent with animals—while the other farmers were still getting their cattle quieted down, hers had stood quietly all the while, looking serenely out across the sea of faces before her as she patiently chewed her cud. He took a quick look at the crowd, too, and grimaced inwardly when he saw Vaughn watching intently.

Dunhill sauntered up just then, though, and Neil stepped forward to join him. “Well, now, it’s time for us to begin judging for the Advanced Class in our annual Cattle Show! First, let’s meet our four contestants. First, from Sunnyvale Farm, we have Rick and his Holstein, Cookie! Second, from Oak Lane Farm, we have Dana and her Jersey, Sugar! Third, coming all the way from Riverview Ranch, is Clarissa with her Holstein, Darla! And last—but not least—from our own Echo Falls Farm, is Rio and her Holstein, Bessie! Give them a hand, ladies and gents, give them a hand!”He waited for the applause to die down, then he turned to Neil. “And finally, let’s not forget an extra big thank-you to our judge here, Neil Swanbeck!”

* * *

 

Vaughn stood nearby, watching the proceedings. He didn’t pay much attention to the announcements, though, lost in thought as he was. That is, until he heard the name ‘Neil Swanbeck’ shouted above the boisterous cheers from the crowd. He turned and stared at the young man through narrowed eyes as he began to carefully examine the animals on the stage, taking notes on each entry.

And he wondered….


	19. Sanctuary

The day after the cattle show, an unexpected, severe cold snap hit Echo Village. Rio’s farm was particularly hard-hit, and she had to work night and day to protect her crops. She was grateful that she had Vaughn to help out, since without him, she would surely have lost far more of her crops than she did. Neil helped out, too, by taking over some of Vaughn’s barn chores. He didn’t know anything about raising crops, but he did know about animals. Meanwhile, Vaughn tended the smudge pots that provided warmth to the tender plants while Rio raced from one field to the next, anxiously monitoring her fields and orchards. In the end, most of her crops were saved, though she did lose some of her more delicate flowers—a bearable loss.

Then as quickly as it came, the frost was replaced with a fierce Indian summer—the hottest fall in decades, Hina told Vaughn one afternoon as she sat on the stool at her shop counter, fanning herself and sipping a tall glass of iced tea. Everyone’s houses and stores were like ovens, and the animals were panting and lethargic. Rio’s dogs all but ignored their charges as they lay sprawled out in whatever shade they could find, but her animals were all too exhausted from the heat to take advantage of the lax attention, anyway.

“Goddess _damn_ it!” Vaughn heard Rio shout one Thursday morning, just a few days into the heat wave, as he straggled up the steps to her house to begin his day. They’d settled into a comfortable routine, where he’d arrive early and have breakfast with her, discussing what work needed to be done that day over their coffee before heading out to begin their chores. It wasn’t what he wanted, exactly—he’d hoped by now to be sharing so much more with her than coffee and conversation by this time. But he accepted what he was offered, and he was glad to have even that much, given the circumstances.

Giving a quick knock on the door before walking in, Vaughn spotted her sitting on the edge of her bed, more or less dressed, her hands clutching her hair as she stared at her open wardrobe. “Good morning to you, too,” he said as he walked in, and she turned to look at him, slightly startled.

“Oh, hey. I didn’t hear you come in. Sorry, I’m just really frustrated by this heat. I don’t have any clean shorts or tank tops left—nothing I’d wear to work in my fields, anyway. I’ve worn them all at least once and haven’t had a chance to do my laundry. And I’m in a hurry this morning, too—I don’t have _time_ for this! These were the best I could find, so I guess they’ll have to do. Ugh! I wish I lived in a nudist colony!” She scowled down at the faded blue tank top with smudges of dirt across her breasts and flicked impatient fingers across some rust-colored stains on the front of her shorts.

“Well, _I_ won’t complain if you want to work naked,” Vaughn asked, and she threw a pillow at him before standing up and slamming her wardrobe doors shut. “What’s the big hurry, anyway? Got a hot date with Neil after he closes up shop?” he joked, ducking as she threw yet another pillow at him.

“Shut _up_! I want to take the animals to the Sanctuary today. This heat’s just terrible for them, especially my poor sheep and alpacas and llama. A day at the Sanctuary will do them a world of good. I’d have taken them sooner, but I had the damage caused by that frost to deal with. This is the first day I’ve been able spare the time. So don’t bother with taking care of the livestock yet. See to the pets and chickens and the fish tanks, then come give me a hand in the fields so we can get out of here as early as possible.”

“‘We’?” Vaughn asked, raising an eyebrow. “What’s this Sanctuary, anyway? Sounds like a zoo.”

“It’s a service that Neil offers,” Rio said darting into her kitchen. Vaughn scowled, but she continued before he could comment. “It’s kind of like a park, I guess. Just for livestock, though. There’s a huge meadow of long, green grass for them to graze on, and lots of trees for shade, and they always come back happier and looking healthier. So anytime they’ve been subjected to unusual stress, like this heat wave, I like to take them there to recuperate.”

As she spoke, she poured two mugs of coffee. Then she pulled two large muffins from the freezer and stuck them into her microwave to thaw and warm up a little. Handing a cup of coffee and a muffin to Vaughn, she continued. “You can tend to the animals there—just bring the things you’ll need with you. I’ll pack lunches and an ice chest full of drinks to take with us. Neil’s got a little shed that serves as an office and storage room, and he has a fridge in there where he keeps medicines for the animals as well as any milk they give there.”

She broke off a large piece of muffin, crammed it into her mouth, and washed it down with a long swig of coffee. “All right, let’s get a move on—I want to be at Neil’s as close to 10:00 as possible!”

* * *

 

After finishing his chores, he walked through the orchard to the eastern portion of the farm in search of Rio. Carved into the rocky hillside just north of the orchard were terraced gardens—flowers, vegetables, herbs, and even grains. As he clambered up the terraces, a fine spray floated down from a natural fountain at the top of the hill, slowly and gently watering the crops. Adjusting his hat to keep the mist out of his eyes, he looked all around for her. Finally he spotted her kneeling in the dirt, pulling up some early carrots.

She looked up as he approached and wiped her wrist across her forehead, leaving a smudge of dirt in the very center. Wordlessly, he pulled his bandana off from around his neck, wiped the smudge away, and tied it back on again. She blinked in surprise, then stood up and brushed the dirt from her knees. “Uh, thanks. So… I need to finish up here still. Can you help? I just need you to spread some fertilizer on a few crops for me.”

“Reckon I can handle that. Which ones?” Vaughn replied, glancing around at the terraced fields surrounding them.

“The green peppers, eggplants, and sweet potatoes, and scatter some around the trees in the orchard, too,” she replied, pointing to each in turn. “The fertilizer’s over there,” she added, turning and pointing to a few sacks leaning against an apple tree. He nodded and went to grab the sacks, and she knelt back down to resume harvesting.

* * *

 

Rio stretched luxuriously in the sunshine, standing on tip-toe as she reached for the sky. “Ahhh, I love it here!” she exclaimed, turning to Neil with a wide smile. He returned it with one of his own, unable to resist her infectious good humor despite his irritation at Vaughn’s presence. She dropped down onto the grass, lying on her back and closing her eyes as she smiled.

They’d arrived a little while ago and unloaded all the animals, who promptly scattered across the spacious field. Then she’d put their lunches in the refrigerator and toted the ice chest full of cold drinks over to the shady side of the shed. Then she turned to Vaughn, saying, “Okay, you can take care of the animals now. Do the milking first, since they’ve had to wait longer than usual.”

She wriggled her bare toes in the soft grass, sighing happily. Neil walked over and sat next to her, looking down at her. She was a fair sight to behold, to be sure—though honestly, as their friendship and grown and deepened into something more, he found her appearance was the least of her attractions. Still, she was definitely a knockout, he thought, though he still had trouble admitting his attraction to her even to himself.

Before they’d left that morning, once all the animals had been loaded up, she’d run back into the house for a change of clothes. Knowing that it would be hot and humid at the Sanctuary, she’d put on some short shorts and the top from her red bikini, then pulled a t-shirt on over that—all hastily washed early that morning and still slightly damp when she jerked them off the clothesline, in spite of the heat. She wore her work boots since she’d be working around large animals, but as soon as the animals had been unloaded, she’d pulled off the t-shirt and kicked off her boots. Now she lay there sunning herself, all legs and curves and smooth, bronzed skin.

Neil suddenly realized she was watching him watch her, and he blushed furiously at the way the corners of her mouth curved into a smile. She sat up and leaned over to him, then kissed his cheek. He jumped slightly, skittish as usual at her close proximity.

Just then Vaughn appeared, struggling up the hill with a few milk cans in tow. Rio jumped up and took them from him. “I’ll take those. Go on ahead and finish up. And you have all day, so just take your time. No need to rush. When you’ve finished, we’ll have lunch. Then after that, you can just kick back and relax for a while.”

Vaughn snorted, eying them suspiciously, then he left to finish his chores. Neil grabbed two of the milk cans from her, and they took them into the shed to place in the fridge. As he closed the refrigerator door and turned around, he was surprised to see her standing with her back against the closed shed door, watching him. He walked over to her, looking uncertain. “What’s up, Rio? Is something wrong?”

“No, Neil, nothing’s wrong. Nothing at all,” she replied, laughing. “In fact, I think everything is just peachy.” She reached for his hand and drew him to her, loosely twining her arms around his neck as she pulled him down to her.

“Tell me,” she breathed into his ear, “did you like what you saw?” He tried to pull back, his face crimson, but she held him fast. She kissed him just under his jaw, from his chin to his ear, then she murmured, “Wouldn’t you like a closer look?” Hot breath tickled his neck, sending shivers down his spine, as she whispered, “Or don’t you want me as much as I want you?”

Turning an even deeper red, he stammered, “But… but I… but we… you and I… I don’t….”

She looked up at him, sapphire gazing into amethyst and holding him captive. “I know. It’s okay, Neil, just trust me. All that matters is you and me, here, together. But if you tell me to stop, I will.” Then she kissed him along his neck, from the sensitive notch just below his throat, up over his chin, and to his lips. She caught his lower lip between her teeth—gently, more a caress than a nip. He felt the warmth of her breath on his lips and in his mouth, and a surge of heat engulfed him, leaving him dizzy—almost as if drunk. He wrapped his arms around her and devoured her with his mouth, kissing every inch of her exposed skin as he felt his deeply ingrained inhibitions and suppressed longings falling away at last.

She pushed him back and away from the door, then pulled him over to the big, old sofa at the back of the shed. She tugged at his worn and tattered black shirt, pulling it off over his head. His chest was smooth, nearly hairless, and his skin was fair. But he was surprisingly muscular—although she knew he must be strong from working with large animals, he wasn’t particularly bulky. She ran her fingertips over the lean, hard muscles of his stomach, up his back, along his arms, and finally back to his stomach, stopping just below his navel. She didn’t go any lower, but neither did she remove her hand.

Groaning, Neil reached behind and pulled at the knot to untie her top. He flipped it up and over her head, then pulled slightly back, just drinking in the sight of her—at her long, lean legs, the curves of her hips narrowing to her waist, and at her breasts, so full and round, and he felt another wave of dizziness rush through him as he reached out to caress them. Then he leaned down, kissing her and tasting her skin with his tongue as he worked his way to her hardening nipples, and he forgot about anything else for a time, conscious only of the feel of her in his mouth, of the increasing urgency in the pit of his stomach, and of her soft moans as she wound her fingers tightly through his hair, pulling him more firmly to her.

After a few minutes, she slid her hand down the front of his camouflage pants, rubbing against his bulging hardness through the heavy fabric. He pulled back, groaning, looking down at her with half-lidded eyes for a moment before burying his face against her neck as he pushed into her hand, thrusting against her as the pressure became nearly unbearable. She moved her hand away to unfasten his pants, then slipped both pants and boxers down as far as she could reach. He stood and pulled his boots off, then pulled his clothing the rest of the way off and kicked it aside, watching her as she stood and pulled her shorts off, sliding them over her hips and kicking them away. She wore only the skimpiest little bit of a thong, which quickly followed her shorts, and then she lay naked before him, looking up at him with her intense blue eyes as he hovered, hesitating nervously for a moment as he looked at her, at her body and into her eyes. Then she reached for him and pulled down, and he pressed his mouth to hers as he cautiously lowered himself over her.

Kissing her hungrily, he ground his erection against her as she wrapped her leg around him, holding him tightly. She ran her nails down his back, scraping the light skin both painfully and pleasurably, then she freed her other leg from beneath him and wrapped it around him, too. Wriggling her hips beneath him, she worked herself into just the right spot, then he thrust against her and plunged deep into slippery warmth.

A fireworks show shot off at the back of Neil’s vision from the intensity of his pleasure, and he gasped and grunted, making animal sounds from his animal pleasure, unable to speak coherently as instinct took over. He slid in and out, in and out, again and again, picking up speed as the pressure inside him pushed him towards the peak. He leaned down and kissed her mouth, feeling her panting and moaning. Then she cried out into his mouth, gasping his name over and over as if chanting, the rhythm of her cries echoing the squeezing contractions surrounding his shaft. A moment later, waves of light and sound and ecstasy crashed all around him as he cried out hoarsely, filling her with his release.

He collapsed on top of her, his arms suddenly shaky, and they lay intertwined, panting and breathless as rivulets of sweat trickled down their necks and faces and backs. Neil gasped into her damp hair, “I _did_ want you, Rio. Oh, _Goddess_ , how I wanted you. I just… I just couldn’t… _say_ so.”

The door to the shed banged open, and both Neil and Rio—still lying entwined—jumped at the sudden sound. Half rising as they turned to look at the door, they saw Vaughn standing in the doorway, his purple eyes darkening and his jaw tightening as he stared at them. Then, without a word, he turned and stormed off, slamming the door behind him.

They looked at each other, blinking in surprise. Then Rio shrugged as she said, “Serves him right. He should know by now to knock first.” Then she grinned up at him and kissed him playfully on the tip of his nose and his cheeks before pulling him back down and give him a firm squeeze.

Neil gave her a distracted kiss in return, but his euphoria had been dispelled by the unexpected intrusion. He rolled off her and reached for their clothing, tossing hers to her before pulling his on.

She sat and watched him as he dressed and started to pull on his boots, her eyes wistful. Then with a sigh, she pulled her clothing back on. He stood and held a hand out to her to pull her up, then, seeing the sadness in her eyes, he bent down and kissed her. “Guess I should consider installing a lock on that door, huh?” he said, smiling at her. He relaxed a little in relief when she grinned back at him and nodded vigorously, and he took her hand and pulled her back out into the sunlight.

Rio glanced around, wondering where Vaughn had gone off to, but she didn’t see any sign of him. Looking up at the sky, she realized it was past midday. “You ready for some lunch?” she asked, looking up at Neil.

“Sure, sounds good. I _am_ pretty hungry now.” She laughed, and he blushed a little—but she was pleased that it was _only_ a little—and grinned a little sheepishly. Maybe now he’d be a little more at ease with her, she thought happily as she looked around again.

She started to head uphill, looking back as she walked and calling, “I’m going to try to find Vaughn—can you grab our lunch from the fridge? It’s in the tote bag.” Then she turned and ran up the slope. She reached the top of the bluff that overlooked most of the sanctuary and looked around, scanning the slopes below for any sign of him. Finally she spotted a familiar black hat peeking out from behind a tree near the edge of the cliff, not too far from where she stood. Chagrined that she’d wasted time looking for him when he’d been only a stone’s-throw away, she strode over to where he sat with his back against the tree, staring out across the valley as he twirled a long blade of grass between his fingers.

“Nice view, huh?” she asked as she approached him.

He stared for a minute longer, then threw down the blade of grass and stood. “What do you want?” he growled, turning to her with a scowl.

Feeling her temper flair at his attitude, Rio paused to collect herself. “It’s time for lunch, so come and get something to eat,” she said, then she turned and left. As she ran back down the slope to the shed where Neil stood watching for her, she could hear the sound of Vaughn’s boots swishing through the grass as he followed more slowly behind her. When they reached the shed, she took the bag from Neil and pulled out the food she’d packed—potato salad, sandwiches, fruit, and icebox cookies. She grabbed drinks for each of them, then sat on the cool grass in the shade of the shed between the two men.

As soon as she finished eating, Rio jumped up. She stuffed her trash into the empty bag, then disappeared into the shed for a minute. She emerged with a portable stereo and a handful of cd cases. Popping a disc in, she set the stereo on the ground a little ways away, in the shade of a nearby oak tree. Then she began to dance, laughing and completely unselfconscious as she cavorted around the field.

Neil and Vaughn sat and ate in tense silence, watching Rio. His eyes following her as she frolicked in the sunshine, some of Vaughn’s anger seemed to dissipate and his eyes softened. He took a long swallow of his drink, then said in a low voice, “Watching her dance like this really takes me back.” Neil raised an eyebrow, though he didn’t take his eyes off Rio. He wasn’t even sure if Vaughn was talking to him, or just to himself.

After a minute, he asked, somewhat guardedly, “Yeah? How so?”

“It reminds me of the first time I ever lay eyes on her. She’d arrived a day or two before, but since I only came to the island two days a week, I hadn’t met her yet. Mirabelle talked about her just about the entire day while I worked, telling me every little scrap of news and gossip she’d picked up. I have to say, I was pretty damned skeptical about a young girl taking on a such a big project—a run-down old ranch like that. Mirabelle said she thought she was around eighteen, so I didn’t figure she could have much experience, if any at all. I doubted she’d last even a season. I was dead wrong about her, though.”

He shifted a little, making himself more comfortable and leaning back against the shed wall as he reminisced. “Anyway, I was in the habit of spending my evenings over on one of the uninhabited islands. Hardly anyone ever went there, except when there was a festival or a competition of some kind—that was where they held all their big events. But the rest of the time, it was peaceful there. No one around to bother me.

“When I stepped off the boat that evening, though, I could hear music coming from somewhere nearby. Well, let me tell you, I was pretty pissed off. I didn’t want anyone intruding on my quiet time. People annoy the hell out of me, and I needed a place to get away from everyone for a while.

“That’s when I saw _her_ , there on the beach just as the sun was beginning to set. She had portable stereo kinda like that one there, and she was playing some old rock ‘n roll tunes and dancing in the sand, all by herself. She looked so… happy. No, not _just_ happy. She looked… she looked like she loved life and the world and everything in it with her whole being. She just radiated joy.

“I’d never known anyone like that before, so unselfconscious and joyful and glowing, and I just stared at her. Sure, I was still kind of annoyed at the invasion. But even more, I felt like I was in a dream that I never wanted to end. Then she whirled around and saw me standing there, just watching her. She was startled, but she turned the music off and came over to introduce herself. I don’t recall what I said, but it must have been kind of rude—she looked surprised and disappointed-like, that’s all I remember. Then she packed up her things and left me to my peace and quiet. And, well, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her ever since.”

He stood up and crushed his empty can between his hands, then dropped his trash into the bag. Turning towards Neil with a harsh, even bitter, look in his eyes, he said, “Son, I’ll tell you this. When something incredible comes into your life, you grab hold of it with both hands, you hear? Grab hold and don’t you _ever_ let go. Because if you don’t, it’s going to slip away from you, and before you know what’s happening, it’ll be gone.”

Neil scowled—he hated being lectured, and he _especially_ hated being lectured by Vaughn. “Thanks for pointing out the fucking obvious,” he snapped. “And don’t call me ‘son’.”

Vaughn sat back down and looked off in the distance. “Yeah, well.” He turned towards Neil. “So… your name’s Swanbeck, huh? Not a real common name in these parts. Don’t suppose your folks are Kenneth and Deborah Swanbeck?”

Neil started, looking over at him in surprise. “Well, yeah—but how’d you know that? What, do you know them or something?”

Before Vaughn could answer, Rio strolled over, a little out of breath but grinning happily. She grabbed a bottle of water from the ice chest and dropped down on the grass, facing the two men. “Hey, so what are you two talking about?” she asked as she opened the bottle and took a long swig of the cold water.

“Vaughn was just asking about my parents. Seems he knows them somehow,” Neil explained, still watching Vaughn suspiciously.

“You do?” Rio asked, looking at Vaughn in surprise.

“You have a, uh, a relative named Wendy, right? Wendy Swanbeck?” Vaughn asked, not answering Rio’s question.

“My sister’s name is Wendy, but she got married several years ago. Her last name’s Byers now.”

“Married, huh?” Vaughn said, thoughtfully. “Happily, I hope?”

“Yeah, I guess. I haven’t talked to her in a while. Why, you know her?” Neil asked, his eyes narrowing.

“You might say that, son.”

Neil’s eyes flashed in annoyance. “I told you to knock it off. I am _not_ your ‘son’!”

Vaughn leaned back against the shed and looked over at Neil from beneath the brim of his hat, his eyes half closed. “As a matter of fact, _Neil_ , I think you are.”


	20. Break

Rio stared at Vaughn, slack-jawed. Neil recoiled as if struck, then snarled, “ _What_ did you say?”

Closing his eyes, Vaughn replied in a slow, soft voice. “When I was thirteen, I met the prettiest girl I’d ever seen—hair like sunshine, eyes like the wide blue sky, and a laugh that was the Goddess’s own music. She was just shy of thirteen at the time, and she took a liking to me almost as fast as I did to her. We were just kids, playing around together all that summer. Her family had just moved to our town, and I was the first friend she made there.

“Well, it may have just been puppy love, but it was still love at first sight for both of us. School started up at the end of summer, and all the boys sat up and took notice of her. But she was _my_ girl, and I made sure they all knew it, too. Things got serious with us pretty quick, and one night shortly after school was out for the summer, about a year after we first met, we both snuck out of our homes to meet somewhere private, and… well, things got a little carried away and we went a lot farther than we should’ve. Still, even though it was wrong, it just brought us closer together.

“But then, after a little time, she found out she was pregnant. As I said, we were just kids—only fourteen at the time. _Much_ too young. I thought her dad was gonna kill me, he was so pissed off. I remember his face turning purple, his eyes bulging… he couldn’t even speak. He threw me out of the house—physically, that is, just picked me up and heaved me out the door onto the sidewalk—and said I was _never_ see or speak to his daughter again, and that he’d shoot me if he ever caught me hanging around her.

“My folks were furious, too, especially my dad. He kicked me out, said I was worthless, no-good scum, that no son of _his_ would go and knock up a young girl like that. So there I was, fourteen years old and completely on my own—no more family, no more girlfriend, nothing but some clothes and a backpack and a little cash my mother snuck me as I left. I haven’t seen or spoken to her or my parents since then. I happened on animal dealer that needed some help, and since I had a knack with animals, he hired me.”

In the stunned silence that ensued, Rio heard someone ask, using _her_ voice, “What… what was your girlfriend’s name?”

“Wendy. Wendy Swanbeck.”

* * *

 

Rio stared up her driveway as the dust cloud from the truck and large trailer dispersed, settling on the grass and bushes that lined her drive. She felt tears on her cheeks—hot tears of anger mingled with tears of pain and sorrow. The drive back to the village had been awkward, to put it mildly.

After Vaughn had dropped his bomb, Neil had just walked away, deeply shaken. She had started to follow, but he’d snapped at her to leave him alone—said he needed some time to think. So she just stood and watched as he trudged up the hill and disappeared over the crest of the ridge. Then she slowly walked back towards the shed, ignoring Vaughn, who hadn’t moved from his spot in the shade.

She headed downhill towards the trees at the lower edge of the pasture. She found a shady spot there and sat with her back against a tree, curled up in a little ball of misery—angry, frustrated, and still in shock—and mulled over Vaughn’s revelation. Tears trickled down her cheek as she considered that the man she thought she loved, and with whom she’d just made love only an hour or so ago, might be her ex-boyfriend’s son. Violet, then, would be Neil’s half sister… and if they ever were to marry, he’d be her stepfather— _birth_ stepfather, anyway, if that was even a thing—as well as her half-brother. The thought made her feel dizzy and suffocated, and she curled up even more tightly, tucking her knees beneath her chin and hugging them hard as her tears splattered on the blades of grass.

After a while, a steadily worsening headache drove her to her feet. It had begun to throb painfully during Vaughn’s tale, and had been steadily worsening. Now she could hardly open her eyes, the bright sunlight hurt so badly. She thought she remembered seeing a bottle of aspirin on a shelf in the shed, so she slowly made her way back up the hill.

Vaughn was still in the same spot, hat down over his eyes as he sat still and silent, and she wondered vaguely if he’d dozed off. The very thought that he could possibly just doze off after all he’d said made her angry and resentful, so feeling spiteful, she slammed the door to the shed behind her as she went in search of pain relief.

She found the aspirin on the shelf as she remembered, so she swallowed a couple and lay down on the sofa to rest, trying not to let her mind revisit their earlier activities there. She must have nodded off a little, since next thing she knew, she was waking up. Her headache was a little better, and the sun shining through the one small window had traveled a ways across the floor.

Glancing up at the clock on the wall, she saw it had been about an hour since she had lain down. She stood up and stretched and wondered if Neil was back yet. Feeling terribly thirsty after so much crying, she went back outside to get a bottle of water from the ice chest.

Vaughn was no longer there where she’d last seen him, and as she opened her bottle and gulped the cool, refreshing water she stared at the spot he’d vacated, idly wondering where he’d gone to.

“Lookin’ for someone?” a soft voice murmured into her ear.

Startled, she let out a small shriek, springing away as she whirled around. Vaughn stood there, hands shoved into his jeans pockets as he looked at her with his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Don’t _do_ that! You almost gave me a heart attack!” she snapped, twisting the lid back onto the empty bottle and hurling it to the ground next to the ice chest.

She leaned back against the shed as she tried to quiet her still-pounding heart, and she glared at him. “And no, I was _not_ looking for you. I don’t _believe_ this— _another_ child! Who just _happens_ to be _my boyfriend!_ I mean, it’s just… I can’t… augh! This is a nightmare! Why didn’t you _tell_ me about any of this? I mean… _you had a child!_ ”

Vaughn sauntered over and leaned his shoulder against the shed near her, looking coolly at her. “Yeah? Like you told Neil about our kid? Hell, like you told _me_ about our kid?”

Rio blushed and stammered, “I—I… but I… it wasn’t… we didn’t…”

“Uh-huh. Did it occur to you that maybe I didn’t tell you for the same reasons you didn’t tell him? It hurt too damn much to think about it, even by the time we met. Some wounds just never completely heal, and I’m not the resilient type, not when it comes to things of that nature anyway.”

“But even so! I mean, it had been a lot longer for you, surely you’d gotten over it enough to tell your _lover_?”

Vaughn scowled and pushed away from the shed. Whisking off his vest and shirt, he stood before her, bare-chested in the sunlight. “You remember these scars?” he asked her, pointing to his side. “I almost _died_ , Rio. I never told you—never told _anyone_ —just how bad it was. Only my boss knew. The injuries were pretty bad in themselves, but I lost a lot of blood, too. And then there was an infection…. I could have died, and my folks never would have known. Probably wouldn’t have cared, either, after all that happened. Point is, _no one cared about me_. Mirabelle was the first person that gave even one single shit about me as a person, and _that’s_ why she and Julia are more family to me than the two people that brought me into this goddessdamned world in the first place.

“And then _you_ came along. I _thought_ I’d been in love with Wendy, but you made me see that was just child’s play, nothing but a real strong crush. But you—you I _loved_. And while that scared the shit out of me… I was even _more_ scared that you’d leave if you knew all about my past.”

He moved closer to her, and closer still, until she could feel his breath on her face as he leaned down to her. “I will _always_ love you, Rio, no matter what happens. Because in spite of all the stupid things I did, deep down, I’m a one-woman man. And _you_ are that woman.”

He planted his hands firmly against the shed, on either side of her head, as he breathed into her ear, “I dream of you, you know. Oh, I don’t mean _that_ kind of dream, though I have plenty of them, too. I mean, I dream that you’ll change your mind and take me back, that we’ll live out our days here, or in the islands, or wherever your heart desires. I don’t care _where_ we go, as long as we’re together. I dream that we’ll have children—kids as beautiful and delightful and full of life as their mama—and that we’ll give them a real good home, with all the love and care that I lacked and that I so desperately craved.

“I dream that we have fields of those sunflowers you love, and that you dance in them, with the sun smiling down on you and the wind in your hair and the birds all singing… and I dream that finally… _finally_ I am happy, and I dance with you in the golden fields under the wide blue sky.”

Then he put his arms around her and pulled her firmly against him as he leaned down and kissed her.

Taken by surprise, caught up in the dream he’d woven so skillfully around her, it took Rio several seconds to rouse herself to respond to his advances. Even then, she didn’t react as explosively as she had in the past. She just pulled back and pushed him firmly, but gently, away.

Then she looked up… and standing at the crest of the hill was Neil, watching them. He turned and walked back down the far side without so much as a word while she stood frozen, feeling like a deer caught in the headlights.

A few minutes later, he came around the side of the hill and went straight to his shed. He emerged a moment later holding a bell in his hand. “We’re leaving,” he said, flatly, not looking her in the eyes. Then he began to ring the bell, and her animals began to gather around him as they followed the sound.

She pushed her way through her livestock to where he was standing, still ringing the bell. “Neil, I—” she began, but he cut her off.

“Not now, Rio. You can explain to me later why you were making out with the man who claims to be my father. But right now, I don’t want to hear it. I’ve had all I can take for one day.”

In silence, the three of them herded the livestock into the trailer. Rio grabbed the ice chest and the milk and food from the refrigerator, then they climbed up into the truck and set out for home. It was a long, uncomfortable drive, with Rio seated between the two men, drawing away from both of them and into herself, making herself as small as she could to avoid contact with either.

When they reached her farm, they unloaded the animals, again in silence. Then Neil climbed back up into his truck and left, without so much as a kiss or even a word to her, leaving her standing on her driveway, watching him drive away as tears spilled from her eyes.

“Well, he sure handled _that_ with grace. Guess he takes after his old man after all.”

She whirled around to face him, almost blinded by her grief-stricken fury. “Shut the hell _up_!” she spat. “I don’t know what you were thinking, but I don’t much appreciate you trying to ruin my life— _again_!”

He raised an eyebrow as he looked calmly at her. “Don’t know what you mean, Rio. I was only speaking the truth. And I’m not just referring to Neil’s parentage.”

“No, you were _not_ ‘only speaking the truth’. You _can’t_ be certain Neil’s your son—maybe they really _are_ his parents, and Wendy really _is_ his sister. You weren’t there, so you couldn’t _possibly_ know for sure. If you’d _really_ cared about honesty, you’d have done some research first, to make sure you were right. And speaking of _honesty_ , do you _really_ expect me to believe that the timing of all this was purely coincidental? You practically walked in on us in that shed, then less than an hour later you were claiming to be my boyfriend’s father! And then almost as soon as you’d scared him off, you tried to make a move on me!”

Straightening up, Vaughn walked up to her. He reached a hand out and gently stroked her cheek with the back of his finger. “You want to know what I was thinking, do you? Well, I was thinking the same thing I’m _always_ thinking. It’s like a refrain that plays over and over in my head. Rio, Rio, Rio—all the livelong day, into the night, and even throughout my dreams. How much I love you, how badly I miss you. I miss _everything_ about you—your soft skin, your silky hair, your laugh, your smile, the way you’d pout whenever I was late getting home. How sweet you smelled—like hay and sunshine and fresh-cut grass and wildflowers. The way you’d yelp and giggle when I’d come up behind you and kiss you while you were cooking. The long, steamy showers we took together. Watching sunsets on the beach with you, and the way the sun would stream in and light up your face while you slept each dawn. Your body—your long legs and your curves and your neck and that little spot on your shoulder where I used to kiss you in the morning when we were still spooned up together in bed. The way you loved to keep busy, and how you looked when you were out working in your fields, your hair tied back and your shirt damp and clinging and the sweat trickling down your face. How you danced—with me or by yourself, as if you couldn’t help it, you were so full of life and joy. Looking into your eyes, as blue as summer cornflowers. And the sex… oh _Goddess_ , the sex….” he groaned, sliding his hand to the back of her head and running his fingers through her hair, his eyes full of an exquisite agony.

She stared at him as he spoke, dumbfounded—she’d never before heard him speak with such ardor. However…

Knocking his hand away, she turned and walked into her house. She returned a moment later and threw a wad of cash at him. In a low, shaky voice, she said, “There’s your pay. Now go. Just… just leave. Go home to the islands, Vaughn. I’m not coming back to you. Not today, not tomorrow— _never_. Get over it. Go ruin someone _else’s_ life. I never want to see you again.” Then she turned and fled back into her house, slamming the door behind her. He heard the deadbolt click, then loud sobbing. After standing stock-still for several minutes, he at last stooped and picked up the bills she’d thrown at him and slowly headed to the barn.


	21. Connect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's a little late this time! This was a difficult chapter. Even though I finished writing it weeks ago, I still needed to revise and edit it, and it was hard to get the balance just right. I think (hope) I succeeded at last, and so here it is. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for reading, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on it!

The next morning, Rio dragged herself out of bed just as the darkness outside was beginning to fade, her head pounding after so much crying and so little sleep. She dragged herself out to the kitchen, still wearing the clothes she’d had on last night. No one was there to see her, anyway, and she wasn’t sure if she’d care even if anyone was. She started the coffee maker, opened the refrigerator door and peered in, then groaned and closed the door again. When the coffee finished, she poured a cup and gulped it down, ignoring the pain as she burned her tongue. Then she tied her hair back, pulled on her boots and headed out the door.

Neil’s house was a short walk away, just across the street from and a little ways west of her driveway. So even stumbling as slowly as she was, it only took her fifteen minutes to get from her door to his. The old brick house was dark and silent in the twilight stillness of the pre-dawn, and she hesitated before softly rapping on his door. There was no sound from within, though, so after a moment she knocked a little louder, then once more even louder still. Nothing. Not a sound came from within. She tried the door; it swung open, and she stepped in.

The dimly lit house was eerily still. Neil’s bed was empty and unmade, dirty dishes were still piled in the sink, and a basket of dirty laundry waited by the back door. She wondered where he could be so early, and that’s when she noticed—his guitar was gone.

At first she thought maybe he’d just taken it somewhere, maybe to play it out in the woods or to his special spot near the waterfall. But when she realized that his portable stereo and his music collection were also missing, it hit her—he was gone. Actually, really, truly _gone_.

She looked around frantically for something— _anything_ —a note, or a map, or some clue as to where he’d gone and when he’d be back. But the house gave up none of his secrets, and with a sob, she turned and fled back to her farmhouse.

Shaking and crying, she poured a cup of coffee, but her hands were trembling so hard that she couldn’t even lift the cup to her lips. She dumped it out into the sink, and turned to one of the cabinets. Pulling out a half-empty bottle, she clumsily, frantically, twisted the cap off and held it over the mug. But then she paused before pouring, and suddenly the memories washed over her all in a wave… getting drunk at Julia’s wedding and how she supposedly came on to Vaughn, mistaking him for Neil. Getting tanked up on the anniversary of her parents’ deaths every single year since they died, including that first year, when she apparently kissed Vaughn. She thought of all the times she’d been told afterwards about scenes she’d made while three sheets to the wind, both on the islands and there in the village. And she pulled that bottle back and glared at it.

“You’ve brought me nothing but trouble,” she mumbled under her breath to it, tears flowing down her cheeks. Then she set it down and began to pull other bottles out of the same cupboard. “You’re liars, _all_ of you! You make me feel better, make me think everything is okay—but only for a while. You make me forget one set of troubles, but then you bring me a bunch of new problems in addition. Well, you and I are _through_!” And she unscrewed the caps off each of them, pouring the contents down the drain and hurling them into the bin with such force that several of them shattered, sending a few shards of glass flying out and onto the floor.

When she was done, she bent down and picked up the broken glass from the floor, dropping it into the bin. After she picked up the last shard, she noticed a red line trickling down her wrist. Turning her hand over, she saw that she’d somehow cut herself on one of the pieces of glass. She hadn’t even felt it—would never even have noticed if she hadn’t seen the blood.

She stood there, staring as the blood seeped down, slowly dripping onto the floor. It was surprising to her how painless it had been, not at all like when she’d cut herself with a knife while cooking or with her razor in the shower. She looked at the lengthy wound near the base of her thumb, then she lifted up the shard to examine it. It had a smudge of blood on it, and one of its edges was stained with crimson. Bringing it closer, she turned it over and over in her fingers, staring at the smooth edges.

How long she stood like that, she couldn’t have said. But after a time, she started as if from a trance, gave a ragged sob, took a deep breath… and dropped that last shard into the bin with the others. She turned and walked out the door, ignoring the blood trickling down her fingertips and dripping onto the grass as she made her way to the pet house to begin her chores.

* * *

 

She already knew Vaughn was gone, and she felt a mixture of relief, anger, and, oddly enough, even some sadness at his departure.

After telling him to go away, she had run into the house and locked herself in to have a good cry, but even over her unchecked weeping she could hear the sound of gravel crunching under steel-clad hooves a little while later. Once the sound had died away, she had thrown herself down onto her bed, pulling the blankets over her head and wishing she’d never gotten out of bed that morning. Then she’d cried until at last she fell asleep, some hours later, only to startle awake from miserable dreams soon afterwards.

She trudged listlessly into the barn to fill the mangers, and as expected, Flash’s stall was empty. She hesitated, then walked over and stared into it for a moment before turning towards the hay rack at the back of the barn.

That’s when she saw it there, lying on the floor just outside the stall. A flash of brilliant blue—trampled and dirty, but beautiful still: a long, slender, sky-blue feather.

As she bent to pick it up, her chest tightened as she realized the who and the why and the how of it.

Vaughn had intended to propose to her, in the traditional manner of the region—by presenting her with a single blue feather before asking her hand in marriage.

Tears trickled down her cheek, and she threw it down to the ground, gasping for breath. She raised a foot to stomp on it, to grind it beneath her heel, but just before she brought her boot down on top of it, she stopped. She stood with her foot poised over it, then heaved a long sigh and put her foot down before stooping to pick the feather up again. Rejected and discarded, she thought as she gently brushed the dirt and bits of hay from its azure barbs—much like its owner must feel, and much like she herself felt right then. She walked over to the shelf where she kept her reference books, pulled down the large volume where she kept all her stock records, and flipped it open to the page for horses. There were notes there on her own mare, but also on both Black Jack and Flash Back, since she kept records of all animals that resided in her barn, no matter how briefly. Then she gently placed the feather on the page, closed the book, and returned it to the shelf before getting on with her day’s work.

At least she’d have plenty to keep her busy, she thought as she grabbed an armload of hay, now that she was once again all on her own.

* * *

 

Fall was coming to an end with winter close on its heels, yet still she’d heard nothing from Neil. Rod had been concerned about his animals, but when he asked their landlady, it turned out that Neil had stopped off on his way out of town, late that Thursday evening after leaving the village. He’d explained that something had come up and he’d be gone for a while. He didn’t know how long, possibly quite some time, he’d told her. He’d paid for feed and boarding for his animals for half a year in advance, and said that if he was gone longer than that, she had permission to sell some of his animals in order to pay the cost of boarding the remainder. She told Rod that he’d seemed deeply upset by something, and that she hoped it wouldn’t come to that—that he’d be back before very long. And that was it—that was the only word he’d left with anyone.

She had, however, received a short letter from Vaughn, several days after he’d left. It was postmarked from a town on the other side of the mountains, and farther south. It read:

_My dearest Rio,_

_I’m real sorry for all the trouble I caused you. I love you so much and wanted you back so badly, I was pretty much blind to everything else. I wish things were different, but I guess you don’t always get what you wish for. I hope things work out for the best for you. I’m not too good with apologies, but please believe me when I say that I’m sorry with all my heart for all that I put you through._

_Vaughn_

_P.S.—I hope someday you can forgive me, and that you’ll write to me now and then. I’d really like to hear how you’re doing, and I’d like to hear how our daughter is growing up, too. You can write to me care of Mirabelle for now, until I find someplace to settle._

She no longer felt the rage that had flared up after his actions that awful day. In fact, she didn’t feel much of _anything_ —she was just numb. Her grief had dwindled to a dull ache, a heaviness in her heart. And people whispered to each other whenever she passed by, saying that she didn’t smile or laugh anymore, and what a crying shame that was.

She could understand—or at least, she _thought_ she could understand—how Neil must be feeling. To be told out of the blue that your parents were really your grandparents, your sister was actually your mother, and that your girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend, and the father of her secret child, was also _your_ father… that was bad enough. But then to catch your long-lost father _kissing_ your girlfriend on top of it all…. It felt… well, _almost_ a little incestuous, truthfully. But even though the idea of all the odd inter-relationships made her squirm uncomfortably every time she tried to sort them out, one thing she was sure of: she loved Neil. Before, she had only thought she _might_ be in love with him, but she just wasn’t sure. But that night when he drove away, leaving her behind, she realized the truth. And she hadn’t had the chance to tell him… even if he’d been willing to hear right then. She couldn’t _blame_ him for running away… but all the same, she wished with all her heart that he’d stayed.

* * *

 

The day of the Foliage Festival arrived, but Rio went about her business as usual. She hadn’t attended any festivals since Neil had left—not even the Chicken Show. She didn’t even know who they’d gotten to judge it in his place, and she didn’t have it in her to care much, either.

Usually she loved this festival—the crisp fall air, the brilliant scarlet foliage, the smoky fires, and not least of all, the roasted sweet potatoes—scorched black outside, painfully hot inside, sweet and delicious and perfect. She’d always paired off with Iroha to help gather leaves for the fires, ever since the first year they’d started the tradition. But she just couldn’t muster up the enthusiasm this time.

Returning from her fields later that morning, dragging two bushels of sweet potatoes behind her, Rio spotted a stranger on her doorstep, knocking on her door, a battered suitcase standing on the porch next to her. She called out a greeting, and the woman turned quickly towards her as she approached the house. She was a pleasant-looking, middle-aged woman with blonde hair, wearing a cozy wool poncho over a sweater, jeans, and tall brown boots.

“Are you looking for the Foliage Festival?” Rio called as she stopped by the pasture gate to wipe the sweat from her brow. “The festival grounds are on the other side of town. I have to take these sweet potatoes over, so I can show you the way if you can wait a few minutes. They won’t be starting for a while yet, anyway. Probably not for another two, maybe three hours, judging by the sun,” she said, peering up at the sky.

“Oh, is there a festival in town? That must be why none of the businesses were open. No, I’m not here for the festival. I’m looking for someone. A woman named Rio. Rio… Rivers, I think?” she replied, frowning slightly as she tried to recall the correct name.

Blinking in surprise, Rio said, “I’m Rio _Rivera_. Are you looking for me? You are…?”

“Oh, yes, Rivera—that’s right. Sorry about that, I’m terrible with names,” she said. “Is there… is there someplace we could go to talk? Someplace quiet? I don’t know if there’s any place open today, if there’s a festival going on….”

Sizing her up, Rio sighed. “Well… no, no one’s open. Let me take these on over—they’re waiting for me to deliver them right now. Then we can go inside.”

“Perfect,” the woman said, looking relieved. “May I come with you? I’m curious to get a look around the town while I’m here.”

“Yeah, sure,” Rio said, grabbing the large baskets by the handles again. “So… you have a name?”

“Oh, yes! I’m so sorry. My name is Wendy.”

Rio jumped as if she’d been jabbed with a pin. Turning slowly to look at her guest with wide eyes, she said, “ _Wendy_? Wendy…?”

“Wendy Vale,” she replied with a smile. “But you’re more likely to recognize my maiden name—Wendy Swanbeck.”

* * *

 

This was a little surreal—no, a _lot_ surreal—Rio thought to herself as she trudged through the technicolor woods. After recovering from her initial shock from learning that the stranger on her doorstep was none other than Neil’s birth mother, she had suggested that, as she wanted to see the village and its environs, perhaps she’d like to go to the festival after all. Wendy had agreed, and so Rio found herself hauling around a sack of leaves while Iroha and Wendy both gathered the leaves to fill it.

Since it would be impossible to have any meaningful conversation in the woods anyway, since they were full of villagers and tourists, she’d asked Iroha if she’d mind if Wendy joined them. Delighted that Rio was joining the fun after all, Iroha readily agreed. So the three of them had set off, and while Wendy exclaimed enthusiastically about the abundance of natural beauty surrounding them, Rio nervously wondered how and when to bring up the subject of Neil—where he was, what he was doing, when he’d be back. She was sure he’d been to see his mother, or at least written to her—for how else would she have known about her? She just hoped he’d also told her of his plans.

Back at the festival grounds, they ate their fill of the scalding hot sweet potatoes. Wendy praised them enthusiastically, saying that she couldn’t remember when she’d last tasted anything so delicious, and she ate two large potatoes before sighing regretfully that she couldn’t eat another bite. Afterwards, Rio took her around and introduced her to the villagers, all of whom were surprised to hear her last name. Everyone wanted to know if she was related to Neil, which she only vaguely affirmed, and then proceeded to praise him and ask after him. She responded with equal vagueness to those enquiries, too, but no one seemed to notice or mind.

Once the festival ended, the two of them returned to the farm. Rio made a pot of tea, and they sat across from each other at her dining table, sipping tea in the awkward silence that ensued.

After a few minutes, Rio set her cup down. “So… you’re, uhh… you’re really Neil’s mom? What Vaughn said was all true then?”

Taken slightly aback by the directness of her questions, even though she’d been expecting them, Wendy blinked for a moment before nodding. “Yes, it’s true. Or, at least from what Neil said, it’s all true.”

“You’ve seen him then? How is he?” Rio asked, a little more quickly than she’d intended, and she blushed slightly and looked down at her cup. “I mean, is he all right? Is… is he coming home soon?”

Wendy set her cup down and looked thoughtfully at the young woman before her.

* * *

 

She’d just finished drying the dinner dishes and was putting them away when someone pounded urgently on the door. Glancing at her husband with a concerned look, she hurried to open it as he followed close behind.

Although she’d hadn’t any idea who _would_ be knocking at her door, Neil was just about the last person she expected to see standing there on her doorstep, shivering with more than the chill of the evening, staring back at her with his eyes dark and wild.

“Neil! What is it? What’s wrong? Come on in, tell me all about it. Can I get you anything? Tea? Coffee?”

He shook his head as he squeezed past her and wordlessly stalked back to the living room. She and her husband looked at each other, puzzled by his sudden arrival and strange appearance, then followed him back.

“Neil? What—”

He turned and looked at her searchingly. “Tell me, do you know a man called Vaughn?”

She felt the room tilt suddenly as her knees buckled, and her husband quickly caught her and helped her to a seat, Neil turning to watch as she sat down weakly, her face white as a sheet.

“V-Vaughn? How did you—”

“Is it true then, what he says about the two of you?” he interrupted. She just stared at him, uncomprehending in her shock.

Glancing quickly at her husband, he’d looked keenly at her. “Is it true that _you_ are my mother, and that _he’s_ my father?”

And then everything went black.

After she regained consciousness, she told him the whole story—essentially the same that Vaughn had told him, except explaining how her parents had forced her to give him to them to raise, threatening to kick them both out if she didn’t. She hadn’t known until Neil told her that Vaughn’s father had kicked him out—all those years, she said, she thought he’d just run away and abandoned her, as her father repeatedly told her. It was a shock to find that Neil had somehow, against the odds, bumped into him and learned the truth. It was even more of a shock when she learned that they’d met via Neil’s girlfriend—who also happened to be Vaughn’s ex, and the mother of another child of his. It was almost more than she could believe, like something from a tabloid headline.

Then Neil had wanted to go and confront his parents—or grandparents, rather. She was against the idea, but he told her stonily that they’d made his childhood a living hell, that he was suffering from their abuse even to this day, and that he was ‘fucking goddessdamned tired’ of their lies and their self-righteousness and their hypocrisy. He wasn’t asking her to come with him unless she wanted to, but either way, he was going. And then he’d stood up and left. After a moment’s hesitation, she looked up at her husband, who in spite of it all still held her hand with tender affection. He returned her look and slowly nodded his head, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze, and together they followed Neil.

It hadn’t gone well.

It turned out that her parents had known all along that Vaughn had been kicked out of his parents’ house, that everything they’d said about him had been lies. She was nearly speechless with anger—and she was not normally prone to anger, being a kind and patient soul by nature. But this— _this_ was too much.

Then the confrontation had turned physical when Neil’s grandfather lost his temper and took a swing at him, intending to ‘teach him a lesson’, as he put it. But Neil had grown in both stature and in strength since he’d left several years ago. They struggled briefly, then Neil punched him in the gut hard enough that the older man sank to the floor, unable to rise or take a breath for several minutes. His grandmother panicked and run to a back room, returning with a shotgun in her hand. They’d taken off, then, all three of them, slamming the door just as she fired—though if it was intentional or accidental, they couldn’t say, nor did any of them care to return to inquire.

Returning to Wendy’s home, they’d collapsed on the living room sofas—exhausted and frazzled—and after a few minutes, Wendy’s husband, Gary, had gone to grab some cold beers for all three of them. And then they talked, well into the night—about her and Vaughn, and Neil and Rio, about what it was like watching him grow up thinking they were siblings, and her struggles to keep her secret whenever her parents treated him badly. She’d tried to curb them, but she feared the repercussions of telling him the truth. She wished—now, in retrospect—that she’d had more courage, that she’d fought to keep him, even if it did mean being forced out of her home. But the past was the past, and she couldn’t change it now. She could only act in the present, and hope for the future, she said with a sigh as she looked at him with years of regret in her eyes.

They sat and talked and drank until they’d all started to nod off where they sat. They’d put him up for the night—for as long as he wanted to stay, they said. Both of them, Gary as well as Wendy, even though it couldn’t be easy for him to hear of his wife’s past and to discover that his brother-in-law was, in fact, his stepson. But he was a compassionate man, and he took it in stride, more concerned for Wendy and Neil than for himself. Which was a large part of why she loved him, she’d thought drowsily to herself as she fell asleep that night, wrapped in her husband’s strong arms.

In the morning, Neil was gone; the only trace he left behind was a brief thank-you note lying on the pillow of the neatly made bed.

* * *

 

“Is it because of _him_ , that Vaughn guy?” Gary had asked her as she packed her suitcase some days later. “Are you… are you hoping to find him there?”

Dropping her neatly folded shirt and looking at him in surprise, her heart melted when she saw the anxiety and concern in his eyes. “ _No_ , honey. It’s not about Vaughn. He’s ancient history. Even if I _did_ happen to run into him, I don’t know what we’d have to talk about after all these years. I don’t even know what kind of person he grew up to be. Though I have to say that if he’s running around fathering children with women almost half his age, I don’t think he’s likely to be someone I’d _care_ to know.”

“Then… is it because of Neil? Is that why you need to go?” Gary said, still looking worried.

“No… not _exactly_. Maybe in a manner of speaking….” She paused in her packing and stared out the window. Everything had changed so rapidly, and she was still absorbing it all.

“Then… then _why_? Why go there at all, if you’re not looking for your old flame and you’re not looking for Neil?” He looked genuinely confused.

Wendy sighed and lay the last sweater on the pile and closed the suitcase, zipping and buckling it tightly shut. Then she turned and stroked her husband’s cheek, saying, “I’m going because I _need_ to, Gary. I’m going for her sake and mine—for us both.”

* * *

 

“I don’t exactly know _where_ Neil is,” Wendy replied after a lengthy pause, picking up her cup again and sipping her tea. “He’s, well… he’s doing as well as can be expected. His whole life has been turned upside down. I mean, can you just _imagine_ …?”

Rio nodded. “Yes. Yes, I can. I’ve done almost nothing _but_ imagine, ever since… ever since Vaughn told us what happened. I still can hardly wrap my head around it. And then… then when he caught Vaughn kissing me….”

Wendy looked up at her, startled. “What’s that? Neil didn’t mention anything like _that_ to me. What happened?” She listened closely while Rio told her what had happened then and afterwards, then nodded as if satisfied.

“Well, my dear, it sounds like you’ve been placed in a very awkward position as well. Still, I’m glad that you were honest with me. Like Neil, I never could abide deception. And that’s why my parent’s actions are so… contemptible. They wouldn’t tolerate any deception from anyone else, especially us—not even a hint. Yet it seems they had no difficulty lying to me all these years, and deceiving Neil, too. Unfortunately, I don’t think they even recognize their own hypocrisy.

“Anyway, Neil left the next morning—he just stayed the one night. He didn’t give any indication where he was going, what his plans were, when he’d be back… nothing. I know as much as you do, now.”

Rio slumped in her chair. “I… I see. Then… you’re here looking for him?”

“Oh, no. I was pretty sure he wasn’t going to heading this way yet—it’s still all too raw for him, I expect. And I’m sure he dreads running into Vaughn more than anything.”

Rio sighed. “If he’d just get in touch with me, I could tell him…. You see, I kicked Vaughn out the night Neil left. He’s long gone now. He wrote a while ago, from some town east of the mountains. Red Rock or Red River or something like that, I think it was. Frankly, I didn’t take much notice.”

“Kicked him out?” Wendy asked, scowling.

“Oh, not like _that_ —he wasn’t living here!” Rio hastened to explain. “I mean, he’d been working for me while living in the inn. I told him to leave and not come back, that I didn’t want to see him ever again.”

Wendy clicked her tongue disapprovingly. “Well, I have to say, it sounds like he’s certainly changed quite a bit since I knew him. I mean—and no reflection at all on you, my dear—to go and get a girl so much younger than him pregnant, shirking his responsibilities…. Not at all how I thought he’d turn out to be when we were young.”

Rio shook her head. “Oh, it’s not like that—I mean, not exactly. He didn’t know about it. And yes, I know there was something of an age difference between us—close to fifteen years, in fact. But as far as I know, I was the first real girlfriend he’d had—at least, as an adult,” she added, turning a little pinker.

“Well, that’s neither here nor there. Though I confess all my information comes from Neil, who is maybe not altogether impartial,” she added with a smile.

“You could say that,” Rio agreed faintly. “Then… if you’re not looking for Neil, why…?”

Wendy rose and wandered over to one of the windows. “You certainly do have a lovely farm. However do you manage all that work all by yourself?”

Rio shrugged, her attention momentarily diverted. “I _like_ to work hard. I find it satisfying.” Then she gave a little snort of laughter. “Ironically, that’s how I met both Vaughn and Neil—they were the animal dealers I dealt with. Vaughn in the Sunshine Islands, and Neil here in Echo Village.”

“I see. And… your parents? Are they farmers, too?”

“No… my parents are dead.” Wendy turned quickly, exclaiming in dismay. “It… it’s okay. It was years ago, before I moved to the islands and met Vaughn. They were wonderful people. I’m sure Neil would have liked them, and I _know_ they’d have approved of him. My dad was a teacher, and my mom was a homemaker. I was an only child, so I have no family now—I mean, other than my daughter. But I gave her up for adoption, so….”

“So she counts and she doesn’t. She’s not yours anymore, but at the same time she’ll always be yours. Right?” Rio looked down at her hands and nodded. “I understand,” Wendy added, kindly. “It wasn’t _quite_ the same with me and Neil, but it was an adoption of sorts all the same.”

She returned to her seat and finished her cup of tea. “I’d like to spend another day here in the village. You mentioned an inn?”

Rio looked up, mildly surprised. “Oh, yes, there’s one at the other end of the village. I can take you there,” she said, rising.

“No need, dear. I think I can find it. It’s a small town, after all.” She stood up and carried her cup out to the kitchen. “I do have a favor to ask, though. If it’s not too much of an imposition, I’d love to follow you around on your farm. You know, see what a typical day is like.” Smiling at Rio’s surprised expression, she continued. “We weren’t farm folk ourselves. I’ve never even _been_ on a farm, except to buy vegetables or eggs from a stand. So I’m terribly curious as to what goes on behind the scenes.”

“Of course,” Rio replied, standing up to see her guest out the door. “Though I have to warn you, my day starts early.”

“I can imagine. What time shall I be here?”

“If you come at 6:00, I’ll make you breakfast. That’s what… that’s what Vaughn always did—neither the inn nor the restaurant served breakfast early enough, so he’d join me here in order to get an early start.”

“Well, then, I’d best be on my way. Thank you, Rio. I’ll see you bright and early!” And with that, she picked up her suitcase and left.

* * *

 

As promised, Wendy was at the farm promptly at 6:00. Rio had just finished dressing when she knocked on the door. They ate a quick breakfast, during which Wendy asked Rio questions about her farm. Then they washed the dishes, grabbed another cup of coffee, and headed out.

Rio went about her work as usual, following her daily routine of caring for her animals, followed by tending to her crops and her orchards. They stopped for lunch at noon, and a cup of tea in the afternoon after she had finally finished her daily chores and could afford to take the time for a short break.

Her work wasn’t over yet, though—she still had housework to do. As she pulled her cleaning supplies out of her closet, Wendy took her leave, thanking her for letting her spend the day. She planned to leave the next day, but promised to stop by and say goodbye first. Then she left Rio to her housework, and went for a walk through the village.

She stopped by all the houses and shops in the village—there weren’t many—chatting with any of the villagers who could spare a few minutes. She learned about how Rio had practically single-handedly saved the village from collapse, sparking the revival that continued still. The town had tripled in population since Rio had undertaken that task, she was told, and the festival grounds were now filled to bursting at most of the festivals, rather than being almost empty as they had been before her arrival. She was both pleased and impressed by what she observed and heard that day.

The next day, she packed up and left mid-morning. She stopped by the farm to say good bye to Rio on her way out of town. Rio looked anxiously at her, as if she had many questions she wanted to ask but didn’t quite know how, and Wendy smiled at her. “I know, Rio, I know. And I wish I could answer your questions. But I promise you, I’ve told you all that I know. I wish I knew where he was, too—believe me, I’m as worried for him as you are. And, like you, I have to accept that he may _never_ return. If I hear from him, I’ll let you know, and I hope you’ll do the same for me.

“I’ll tell you this, though. Should he ever return—you are _exactly_ the kind of woman I’d like to see him with. From what I’ve seen and heard, I can tell you are a hard-working, kind, generous, and affectionate person. You have good friends here who think the world of you, and many admirers.” She gently placed a hand on her cheek. “And I also learned that everyone here, bar none, is concerned for you. Each and every person I spoke with. None of them know what happened, of course, but they’re all upset that Neil vanished and left you heartbroken.”

Rio looked away, tears in her eyes. “I know they mean it kindly… but I don’t want them to be angry with Neil. I miss him, and I wish with all my heart that he hadn’t left. But… I can understand why he left, I _think_. That’s why I’ve kept so much to myself lately, though. I don’t want to be pitied, and I don’t want them to put him down when they don’t have a clue what really happened. I can’t stop them from talking, though, so I just keep to myself.”

Wendy sighed. “Well, you know best, I suppose. Still… just remember that your friends are there for you when you need them, same as you are for them. They’d love the chance to care for you as you do for them, I think. It was real nice to meet you, Rio. I hope….” She shook her head and turned away, leaving her sentence unfinished.

Rio walked her to the road out of town, where a taxi waited for her. She watched her go, waving until the car disappeared around a distant bend in the road. Then she turned and slowly walked back to her farm, feeling somehow even heavier in spirit than before.


	22. Found

After Wendy’s visit, it seemed to Rio’s friends that she slipped into an even deeper decline. She no longer did anything except work, and she threw herself into that with a passion that bordered on obsession. Soseki confided to Tina that he’d even heard her working around her farm well past midnight while out on his late night rambles, or spotted her foraging for mushrooms and other wild foods in the mountains. Felicity and Iroha concluded that she wasn’t eating properly anymore, too—while not exactly skin and bones, her trim, curvy figure had become gaunt and angular in an alarmingly short space of time. Allen, of course, bemoaned the way she neglected her appearance, but beneath his flippant remarks, he, too, was concerned.

Her friends tried their best to snap her out of her depression. But she declined all invitations to go out, preferring to work in solitude instead. She was half-dead with exhaustion, working all day and most of the night and sleeping only two or three hours a night at most. Still, it beat lying in bed, reliving that day over and over in her head and thinking of all the many things she might have done differently, so that Neil wouldn’t have gone away. She realized now, in a way, how Vaughn must have felt all those years, after she just up and left him without so much as a goodbye.

The scarlet leaves of autumn fell one by one until the trees were barren, followed by the arrival of the winter snows, and soon it was nearly spring again. One day as the year’s end was approaching, Rio woke up earlier than usual—a little after 5:00—even though she hadn’t gotten to bed until nearly 3:00 that morning. The past few weeks, she’d taken to walking in the woods at night when she didn’t have any work left to do on the farm, sometimes foraging and other times just walking—simply going through the rhythm of placing one foot before the other, step after step. The only villagers that she ever saw so late in the night were Soseki and the Witch Princess, both of whom were night owls. But while they slept until late morning, she did not.

She skipped breakfast, as she often did lately, opting to have only coffee. Then she pulled on her work clothes and boots, poured another mug of coffee and headed to the barn, her boots leaving a trail in the glittering blanket of newly-fallen snow. She tended to her animals on the main part of her farm, then walked to the western part of her farm, stopping for a fresh cup of coffee on the way.

Once she’d finished caring for her animals, she stopped at the house to fill a thermos of coffee before heading to the eastern part of her farm, to see to her orchards and her fields of winter crops. She went through all the motions, tending her crops with efficiency and meticulous care, but automatically, as if she were no more than an automaton. Finally, her work done for the day, she resorted to cutting grass for hay—she didn’t need it, but it helped to pass the time.

While she was slashing through her pasture with her sickle, her three closest friends stopped by the farm. After they tracked her down in the field, they settled down to watch their friend at work. Iroha and Felicity leaned against a nearby fence while Tina climbed up to sit on the top rail, the concern in each face mirrored in the others. After a few minutes, Tina said, “Hey, Rio, why don’t you knock off early and come shopping with us? You haven’t been out for _weeks_. New Year’s Eve is in just a few days, and we all need to find something to wear. You know there’s going to be a huge party this year, right?”

Rio shook her head as she mowed another bundle of grass, dropping it to the ground to gather later. “I’m not going. Thanks anyway.”

The three girls looked at each other, their eyes troubled. Felicity whispered loudly, “See? I _told_ you.”

Iroha walked over and put a hand on Rio’s shoulder. “Listen, Rio. I _know_ it hurts, but he’s… he’s just _gone_. And… it really doesn’t look like he’s coming back, does it? I mean… it’s been almost half a year now since he left, and no one’s heard anything from him, at least, not since Wendy came to town. Sooner or later you’re going to have to come to terms with it. You’re young, you’re beautiful, you’re smart, and you’re a fun person. You need to… to just let it go and move on with your life.”

Rio turned sharply away, her back to her friends. Then her shoulders slumped and she turned back, looking down at the ground. “Look, I know you all _mean_ well, but….”

“Oh, _please_ , Rio—it just won’t be the same ringing in the New Year without you!” Felicity pleaded.

Rio stood there for a minute, then said slowly, “If I do this… if I go shopping with you and go to the party… will you _please_ just let me be after that? I only want to be left alone, for now anyway.”

The girls looked at each other, then nodded their heads. “If coming to the party doesn’t change your mind and you still don’t want to be social after that, then yes—we’ll leave you alone. Well, _kind_ of. I mean, we’ll still come to see you, of course. But we’ll stop asking you to go out with us or to join us for the festivals.”

Sheathing her sickle, Rio sighed and said, “Then let’s get this over with.”

Tina squealed and jumped down from her perch, grabbed Rio by the wrist, and dragged her back to her house. She pushed her towards the bathroom with instructions to wash up, while Iroha started tea and Felicity looked through her wardrobe for something suitable for her to wear, shaking her head at the untidy piles of dirty clothes she’d allowed to accumulate.

After she had showered and dressed and they’d all had a cup or two of tea, her friends dragged her out the door and into the village, straight to Allen’s salon. Tina called out to Allen as she propelled Rio into the waiting area, “Hey, Allen! Guess who we dragged out from under her rock!”

Rio cringed as Allen and his current client, a glamorous blonde from out of town, both turned to stare at them. The client immediately turned back to her reflection, utterly uninterested, but Allen grinned broadly at Rio. “It’s high time, too! I have been _dying_ to get my hands on you, love!”

Tina pushed her down into a chair and handed her a magazine full of hairstyles. She flipped through it dutifully, but she didn’t really _see_ any of them. Soon, Allen had finished up with the blonde woman and was taking her back to wash her hair. She’d just washed it, and started to protest, but Allen overrode her protests. “It might be _clean_ ,” he said, sternly, “but, sweetheart, you _really_ need some conditioning! Just _look_ at those split ends!”

Lacking the will to argue, she just leaned back and let him do as he liked with her hair. Finally he wrapped her head with a soft, fluffy towel and led her over to his chair. He sat her down in front of the mirror, removed the towel, and gently but quickly combed it out. “Now,” he said, rubbing his hands eagerly, “What will it be today? Color? Cut? Curls? The works?”

“Just a trim, I guess,” she mumbled, keeping her gaze fixed on her hands nervously fidgeting on her lap.

He put a hand on his hip and just stared at her in disbelief for a full minute. Then he said, “A _trim_. You have _got_ to be kidding me.”

Tina called out from the waiting area, “Ignore her, Allen! Just work your magic on her—make her beautiful! We’re all getting ready for the New Year’s Eve party, and we need to look our best! _Especially_ Rio!”

He laughed lightly, saying, “Oh, honey, she already _is_ beautiful! That’s why I love her so much—she’s amazing!”

He pulled out his scissors and began to work, snipping a little here, a little there. “Just a new style, I think. Your color is already perfect for you.” He paused, squinting in concentration for a moment, then resumed snipping, moving nimbly as he spoke. “It’s such a pity your friend Vaughn never came to see me. That long, silver hair! Oh, would I have _loved_ to have gotten my hands on _him_!”

“Him, or his hair?” Felicity called out, looking confused.

“Both!” Allen replied with a grin.

“You know, I never can make up my mind about you,” Tina laughed, shaking her head. “I mean, one minute I think you’re straight, the next I’m sure you’re gay, and then I decide you really _have_ to be bi!”

“Tsk,” Allen scolded without taking his eyes off Rio’s hair. “Don’t be so banal! I’m none of the above.”

“ _None_?” Iroha and Rio asked in unison, their interest piqued. How could you be _none_ of those? Rio wondered to herself.

Grinning at her reflection as he worked, Allen replied, “I’m a philocalist—a lover of beauty. It doesn’t matter to me whether male or female. The _beauty’s_ the thing, for me. And sweetheart, there’s plenty to love about _you_.”

Soon he finished, and he waited, smugly confident, while Rio examined his handiwork. He knew she’d been suffering keenly since Neil’s sudden departure, so he was delighted to see her doing something for herself for a change. And she really _was_ a stunning woman, even if she was virtually unaware of her appeal. All he’d done was highlight that natural beauty of hers.

He hadn’t expected much of a reaction from her, given her current depression and apathy. But even if she didn’t _say_ much, he saw a sparkle in her eye—a little glimpse of the old Rio that hadn’t been there when she’d walked in an hour ago. That, he felt, was payment in itself, and he grinned as the group of women left, waving to them as he directed his next client to the sink.

Next, they all went to Yuri’s shop to look for outfits to wear. Though she didn’t usually have much in the way of formal wear, she’d produced a small but refined selection of cocktail dresses especially for the holiday season. Felicity immediately pounced on a fluffy, aqua-blue dress with a plunging neckline and a band of crystals and silver beads at the waist, like a belt. Tina spotted a gold mini dress covered in row after row of long fringe—rather like a flapper’s dress—and shrieked with delight as she snatched it up and ran straight back to the dressing room.

Iroha proved a little more difficult to please, as she really didn’t care much to dress up. But she decided that if Rio could make the effort to dress up and go to the party, so could she. Yuri showed her gown after gown until finally, groaning in frustration, Tina dove into the racks and selected what she thought was the plainest dress in the shop. Made of a soft, drapey navy blue fabric, it fell from a gathered waist to just above her knees. A band of intricate navy beadwork surrounded the waist, and the neckline had a deep keyhole opening at the center, showing just the teeniest glimpse of her fair skin. She loved it.

Rio turned away all the short, sexy, strapless dresses that Tina and Felicity kept holding up to her, wincing as she recalled some of the comments Neil, Vaughn, and others had made about the way she used to dress. Finally she settled on a long-sleeved mini dress in a stretchy black knit with a gold thread worked in, making it sparkle in the light. The dress was shorter than she would have liked, but she selected a pair of high-heeled black boots to wear with it that reached well above her knee, leaving only a glimpse of leg showing.

As she rotated for the girls to critique the ensemble, Yuri suddenly exclaimed and vanished into her back room. Returning a few minutes later, she held up a wispy, lacey shawl knit of the softest, finest alpaca, accented with golden beads glittering like stars in the night sky. She draped it over Rio’s shoulders, and everyone exclaimed in delight at the effect.

The girls paid for their purchases, then Felicity groaned that, after all that shopping, she was famished. Having gotten Rio out of her house and into the village, it wasn’t too difficult to persuade her to go with them to Clement’s for tea and a snack. They sat at one of the two large, family-style tables in the restaurant, and Clement himself happily waited on them.

Afterwards, Rio was glad—at least, a little bit—that she’d gone. While the afternoon hadn’t done a thing to alleviate her heartbreak overall, it had at least offered her a distraction from it for a few hours. And even though at first she had been dreading the party, now she found the prospect slightly less intimidating.

* * *

 

The New Year’s party was a huge success—the first of its kind they’d held in the village, but almost certainly not the last. Steaming bowls of traditional soba noodles were showcased, but Clement outdid himself catering the fete, providing tables groaning with platters of hors-d’oeuvres and canapés and tiny desserts, not to mention a wide selection of wines and cocktails, and, of course, sparkling wine to toast in the New Year—or sparkling cider for those who preferred to abstain. Rio chose to be in the latter group, holding fast to her resolution to refrain from alcohol and the trouble it always seemed to bring to her.

There was music and dancing, conversation and story-telling, laughter and even a little romance. First, Olivia’s fiancé suddenly appeared at the party, having traveled halfway around the world just to ring in the new year with her. It was a rapturous reunion, and everyone rejoiced in her delight.

Second, when the countdown ended and everyone cried out ‘Happy New Year’, Amir leaned down and kissed Iroha, much to her bemusement . However, although she was flustered by his gesture and his suddenly open admiration of her, neither did she seem to object, nor did she refuse his offer to accompany her home in the crisp winter night.

Shortly after midnight, Rio bade everyone goodbye, and wrapping her shawl around her, she headed out alone into the darkness. Sighing as she glanced back at the couples preparing to walk slowly home together, she permitted one little tear of sorrow and regret to slip down her cheek before firmly wiping the rest away. It was a new year now, she thought to herself. Time for a fresh start—yet another new beginning.

As she walked down the long driveway to her house, the only light that guided her footsteps was from the moon, just past the first quarter, and from the stars glittering brilliantly in the clear sky above. In this dim light, she spotted a dark shape huddled on her doorstep, and she stopped, startled and uncertain. She couldn’t tell if the form was human or animal, though remembering Dunhill’s prediction that the bears would be coming out of hibernation unusually early that year, she thought it looked large enough to be a black bear—and she knew that half-starved bears just coming out of hibernation were no joke. She wanted to scream, felt the scream rising in her, but it caught in her throat and no sound would come out.

Then the shape moved and rose to its feet—and she breathed a sigh of relief, though her heart was still pounding. It was definitely not a bear. Then she gasped as, a moment later, she recognized _Neil_. He just stood there on her doorstep, staring at her, neither of them speaking.

After several minutes, he said in a soft, low voice, “I’m home,” and he reached out to her.

Hesitantly taking his hand, she discovered tucked into hers a single, perfect, blue feather.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed my story. I'll be taking a break from posting for a while--more information on my profile.


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